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44,573
The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy
what for, poor thing, should I hurt thee?'
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inquired his grandfather, somewhat disturbed by the proposed condition.
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The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy
'I dinna ken,' said the boy, still retreating,--'but I am feart, for ye hurt papa for naething, and mamma used to greet for't.'
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Claud shuddered, and in the spasmodic effort which he made to suppress his emotion, he unconsciously squeezed the little hand of the girl so hardly, as he held her between his knees, that she shrieked with the pain, and flew towards her brother, who, equally terrified, ran to shelter himself behind a chair.
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The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy
For some time the old man was so much affected, that he felt himself incapable of speaking to them.
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But he said to himself,-- 'It is fit that I should endure this.
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I sowed tares, and maunna expek wheat.'
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The children, not finding themselves angrily pursued, began to recover courage, and again to look at him.
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'I did na mean to hurt thee, Mary,' said he, after a short interval.
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'Come, and we'll mak it up;'--and, turning to the boy, he added, 'I'm very wae that e'er I did ony wrang to your father, my bonny laddie, but I'll do sae nae mair.'
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'That's 'cause ye canna help it,' replied James boldly, 'for he's dead--he's in a soun' soun' sleep--nobody but an angel wi' the last trumpet at his vera lug is able to waken him--and Mary and me, and mamma--we're a' gaun to lie down and die too, for there's nobody now in the world that cares for us.'
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'I care for you, my lambie, and I'll be kind to you; I'll be as kind as your father.'
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It would appear that these words had been spoken affectionately, for the little girl, forgetful of her hurt, returned, and placed herself between his knees; but her brother still stood aloof.
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'But will ye be kind to mamma?' said the boy, with an eager and suspicious look.
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'That I will,' was the answer.
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The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy
'She'll ne'er again hae to blame me--nor hae reason to be sorrowful on my account.'
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'But were nae ye ance papa's papa?'
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rejoined the child, still more suspiciously.
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The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy
The old man felt the full force of all that was meant by these simple expressions, and he drew his hand hastily over his eyes to wipe away the rising tears.
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'And will ye never trust me?' said he sorrowfully to the child, who, melted by the tone in which it was uttered, advanced two or three steps towards him.
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'Aye, if ye'll say as sure's death that ye'll
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no hurt me.'
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'Then I do say as sure's death,' exclaimed Claud fervently, and held out his hand, which the child, running forward, caught in his, and was in the same moment folded to his grandfather's bosom.
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The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy
Leddy Plealands had, in the meantime, been told who was her visitor, and being anxious, for many reasons, to see him at this crisis, opened the door.
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Feeble, pale, and delicate, the venerable gentlewoman was startled at seeing a sight she so little expected, and stood several minutes with the door in her hand before she entered.
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'Come in,' said Claud to her--'come in--I hae something to say to you anent thir bairns--Something maun be done for them and their mother; and I would fain tak counsel wi' you concerning 't. Bell Fatherlans is o' oure frush a heart to thole wi' the dinging and fyke o' our house, or I would tak them a' hame to Grippy; but ye maun devise some method wi' her to mak their loss as light in worldly circumstances as my means will alloo; and whatsoever you and her 'gree upon Mr. Keelevin will see executed baith by deed and paction.'
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'Is't possible that ye're sincere, Mr. Walkinshaw?' replied the old lady.
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Claud made no answer, but, disconsolately, shook his head.
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'This is a mercy past hope, if ye're really sincere.'
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'I am sincere,' said the stern old man, severely; 'and I speak wi' humiliation and contrition.
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I hae borne the rebuke of thir babies, and their suspicion has spoken sermons of reproaches to my cowed spirit and broken heart.'
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'What have ye done?'
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inquired the Lady, surprised at his vehemence--'what have ye done to make you speak in such a way, Mr. Walkinshaw?'
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'In an evil hour I was beguiled by the Moloch o' pride and ambition to disinherit their father, and settle a' my property on Watty, because he had the Plealands.
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But, from that hour, I hae never kent what comfort is, or amaist what it is to hope for heavenly mercy.
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But I hae lived to see my sin, and I yearn to mak atonement.
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When that's done, I trust that I may be permitted to lay down my head, and close my een in peace.'
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Mrs. Hypel did not well know what answer to make, the disclosure seemed to her so extraordinary, that she looked at Claud as if she distrusted what she heard, or was disposed to question the soundness of his mind.
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'I see,' he added, 'that, like the orphans, ye dinna believe me; but, like them, Mrs. Hypel, ye'll maybe in time be wrought to hae compassion on a humbled and contrite heart.
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A', therefore, that I can say for the present is, consult wi' Bell, and confer wi' Mr. Keelevin; he has full power frae me to do whatsoever he may think just and right; and what ye do, do quickly, for a heavy hand is on my shouther; and there's one before me in the shape o' my braw Charlie, that waves his hand, and beckons me to follow him.'
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The profound despondency with which this was uttered overwhelmed the feelings of the old Lady; even the children were affected, and, disengaging themselves from his arms, retired together, and looked at him with wonder and awe.
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'Will ye go and see their mother?'--said the lady, as he rose, and was moving towards the door.
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He halted, and for a few seconds appeared to reflect; but suddenly looking round, he replied, with a deep and troubled voice,-- 'No.
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I hae been enabled to do mair than I ever thought it was in my power to do; but I canna yet,--no, not this day,--I canna yet venture there.--I will, however, by and by.
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It's a penance I maun dree, and I will go through it a'.'
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And with these words he quitted the house, leaving the old gentlewoman and the children equally amazed, and incapable of comprehending the depth and mystery of a grief which, mournful as the immediate cause certainly was, undoubtedly partook in some degree of religious despair.
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The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy
CHAPTER XLVI Between the interview described in the preceding chapter and the funeral, nothing remarkable appeared in the conduct of Claud.
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On the contrary, those habits of reserve and taciturnity into which he had fallen, from the date of the entail, were apparently renewed, and, to the common observation of the general eye, he moved and acted as if he had undergone no inward change.
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The domestics, however, began to notice, that, instead of the sharp and contemptuous manner which he usually employed in addressing himself to Walter, his voice was modulated with an accent of compassion,--and that, on the third day after the death of Charles, he, for the first time, caressed and fondled the affectionate natural's darling, Betty Bodle.
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It might have been thought that this simple little incident would have afforded pleasure to her father, who happened to be out of the room, when the old man took her up in his arms; but so far from this being the case, the moment that Walter returned he ran towards him, and snatched the child away.
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'What for do'st t'ou tak the bairn frae me sae frightedly, Watty?' said Claud in a mild tone of remonstrance, entirely different from anything he had ever before addressed to him.
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Walter, however, made no reply, but retiring to a distant part of the room, carefully inspected the child, and frequently inquired where she was hurt, although she was laughing and tickled with his nursery-like proceedings.
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'What gars t'ee think, Watty,' rejoined his father, 'that I would hurt the wean?'
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''Cause I hae heard you wish that the Lord would tak the brat to himsel.'
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'An I did, Watty, it was nae ill wis.'
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'So I ken, or else the minister lies,' replied Walter; 'but I would na like, for a' that, to hae her sent till him; and noo, as they say ye're ta'en up wi' Charlie's bairns, I jealouse ye
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hae some end o' your ain for rooketty-cooing wi' my wee Betty Bodle.
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I canna understand this new-kythed kindness,--so, gin ye like, father, we'll just be fair gude e'en and fair gude day, as we were wont.'
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The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy
This sank deeper into the wounded heart of his father than even the distrust of the orphans; but the old man made no answer.
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Walter, however, observed him muttering something to himself, as he leant his head back, with his eyes shut, against the shoulder of the easy chair in which he was sitting; and rising softly with the child in his arms, walked cautiously behind the chair, and bent forward to listen.
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But the words were spoken so inwardly and thickly, that nothing could be overheard.
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While in this position, the little girl playfully stretched out her hand and seized her grandfather by the ear.
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Startled from his prayer or his reverie, Claud, yielding to the first impulse of the moment, turned angrily round at being so disturbed, and, under the influence of his old contemptuous regard for Watty, struck him a severe blow on the face,--but almost in the same instant, ashamed of his rashness, he shudderingly exclaimed, throbbing with remorse and vexation,-- 'Forgi'e me, Watty, for I know not what I do;' and he added, in a wild ejaculation, 'Lord!
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Lord!
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O lighter, lighter lay the hand o' thy anger upon me!
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The reed is broken--O, if it may stand wi' thy pleasure, let it not thus be trampled in the mire!
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But why should I supplicate for any favour?--Lord of justice and of judgement, let thy will be done!'
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Walter was scarcely more confounded by the blow than by these impassioned exclamations; and hastily quitting the room, ran, with the child in his arms, to his mother, who happened at the time, as was her wont, to be in the kitchen on household cares intent, crying,-- 'Mother! mother!
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my father's gane by himsel; he's aff at the head; he's daft; and ta'en to the praising o' the Lord at this time o' day.'
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But, excepting this trivial incident, nothing, as we have already stated, occurred between the interview with Leddy Plealands and the funeral to indicate, in any degree, the fierce combustion of distracted thoughts which was raging within the unfathomable caverns of the penitent's bosom--all without, save but for this little effusion, was calm and stable.
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His external appearance was as we have sometimes seen Mount Etna in the sullenness of a wintry day, when the chaos and fires of its abyss uttered no sound, and an occasional gasp of vapour was heavily breathed along the grey and gloomy sky.
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Everything was still and seemingly steadfast.
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The woods were silent in all their leaves; the convents wore an awful aspect of unsocial solemnity; and the ruins and remains of former ages appeared as if permitted to moulder in unmolested decay.
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The very sea, as it rolled in a noiseless swell towards the black promontories of lava, suggested strange imageries of universal death, as if it had been the pall of the former world heavily moved by the wind.
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But that dark and ominous tranquillity boded neither permanence nor safety--the traveller and the inhabitant alike felt it as a syncope in nature, and dreaded an eruption or a hurricane.
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Such was the serenity in which Claud passed the time till Saturday, the day appointed for the funeral.
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On the preceding evening his wife went into Glasgow to direct the preparations, and about noon he followed her, and took his seat, to receive the guests, at the door of the principal room arranged for the company, with James, the orphan, at his knee.
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Nothing uncommon passed for some time; he went regularly through the ceremonial of assistant chief mourner, and in silence welcomed, by the customary shake of the hand, each of the friends of the deceased as they came in.
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When Dr. Denholm arrived, it was observed that his limbs trembled, and that he held him a little longer by the hand than any other; but he too was allowed to pass on to his seat.
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After the venerable minister, Mr. Keelevin made his appearance.
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His clothes were of an old-fashioned cut, such as even still may occasionally be seen at west-country funerals among those who keep a special suit of black for the purpose of attending the burials of their friends; and the sort of quick eager look of curiosity which he glanced round the room, as he lifted his small cocked hat from off his white, well-powdered, ionic curled tie-wig, which he held firm with his left forefinger, provoked a smile, in despite of the solemnity of the occasion.
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Claud grasped him impatiently by the hand, and drew him into a seat beside himself.
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'Hae ye made out the instrument?'
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said he.
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'It's no just finished,' replied Mr. Keelevin; 'but I was mindit to ca' on you the morn, though it's Sabbath, to let you see, for approbation, what I have thought might be sufficient.'
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'Ye ought to hae had it done by this time,' said Claud, somewhat chidingly.
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''Deed should I,' was the answer, 'but ye ken the Lords are coming to the town next week, and I hae had to prepare for the defence of several unfortunate creatures.'
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'It's a judgement time indeed,' said Claud; and, after a pause of several minutes, he added, 'I would fain no be disturbed on the Lord's day, so ye need na come to Grippy, and on Monday morning I'll be wi' you betimes; I hope a' may be finished that day, for, till I hae made atonement, I can expek no peace o
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' mind.'
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Nothing further was allowed at that time to pass between them, for the betherils employed to carry round the services of bread and wine came in with their trays, and Deacon Gardner, of the wrights, who had charge of the funeral, having nodded to the Reverend Dr. John Hamilton, the minister of the Inner High Church, in the district of which the house was situated, the worthy divine rose, and put an end to all further private whispering, by commencing the prayer.
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When the regular in-door rites and ceremonies were performing, and the body had, in the meantime, been removed into the street, and placed on the shoulders of those who were to carry it to the grave, Claud took his grandson by the hand, and followed at the head, with a firmly knotted countenance, but with faltering steps.
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In the procession to the church-yard no particular expression of feeling took place; but when the first shovelful of earth rattled hollowly on the coffin, the little boy, who still held his grandfather by the finger, gave a shriek, and ran to stop the grave-digger from covering it up.
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But the old man softly and composedly drew him back, telling him it was the will of God, and that the same thing must be done to every body in the world.
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'And to me too?' said the child, inquiringly and fearfully.
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'To a' that live,' replied his grandfather; and the earth being, by this time, half filled in, he took off his hat, and looking at the grave for a moment, gave a profound sigh, and again covering his head, led the child home.
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The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy
CHAPTER XLVII Immediately after the funeral Claud returned home to Grippy, where he continued during the remainder of the day secluded in his bed-chamber.
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The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy
Next morning, being Sunday, he was up and dressed earlier than usual; and after partaking slightly of breakfast, he walked into Glasgow, and went straight to the house of his daughter-in-law.
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The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy
The widow was still in her own room, and not in any state or condition to be seen; but the children were dressed for church, and when the bells began to ring, he led them out, each holding him by the hand, innocently proud of their new black clothes.
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The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy
In all the way up the High Street, and down the pathway from the church-yard gate to the door of the cathedral, he never raised his eyes; and during the sermon he continued in the same apparent state of stupor.
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The Entail; or, The Lairds of Grippy
In retiring from the church, the little boy drew him gently aside from the path to show his sister the spot where their father was laid; and the old man, absorbed in his own reflections, was unconsciously on the point of stepping on the grave, when James checked him,-- 'It's papa--dinna tramp on him.'