登陆注册
15395000000024

第24章

ANOTHER DISCOVERY IN THE GARRET.

Little did Robert dream of the reception that awaited him at home.

Almost as soon as he had left the house, the following events began to take place.

The mistress's bell rang, and Betty 'gaed benn the hoose to see what she cud be wantin',' whereupon a conversation ensued.

'Wha was that at the door, Betty?' asked Mrs.Falconer; for Robert had not shut the door so carefully as he ought, seeing that the deafness of his grandmother was of much the same faculty as her blindness.

Had Robert not had a hold of Betty by the forelock of her years, he would have been unable to steal any liberty at all.Still Betty had a conscience, and although she would not offend Robert if she could help it, yet she would not lie.

''Deed, mem, I canna jist distinckly say 'at I heard the door,' she answered.

'Whaur's Robert?' was her next question.

'He's generally up the stair aboot this hoor, mem--that is, whan he's no i' the parlour at 's lessons.'

'What gangs he sae muckle up the stair for, Betty, do ye ken? It's something by ordinar' wi' 'm.'

''Deed I dinna ken, mem.I never tuik it into my heid to gang considerin' aboot it.He'll hae some ploy o' 's ain, nae doobt.

Laddies will be laddies, ye ken, mem.'

'I doobt, Betty, ye'll be aidin' an' abettin'.An' it disna become yer years, Betty.'

'My years are no to fin' faut wi', mem.They're weel eneuch.'

'That's naething to the pint, Betty.What's the laddie aboot?'

'Do ye mean whan he gangs up the stair, mem?'

'Ay.Ye ken weel eneuch what I mean.'

'Weel, mem, I tell ye I dinna ken.An' ye never heard me tell ye a lee sin' ever I was i' yer service, mem.'

'Na, nae doonricht.Ye gang aboot it an' aboot it, an' at last ye come sae near leein' that gin ye spak anither word, ye wad be at it;and it jist fleys (frights) me frae speirin' ae ither question at ye.An' that's hoo ye win oot o' 't.But noo 'at it's aboot my ain oye (grandson), I'm no gaein' to tyne (lose) him to save a woman o'

your years, wha oucht to ken better; an sae I'll speir at ye, though ye suld be driven to lee like Sawtan himsel'.--What's he aboot whan he gangs up the stair? Noo!'

'Weel, as sure's deith, I dinna ken.Ye drive me to sweirin', mem, an' no to leein'.'

'I carena.Hae ye no idea aboot it, than, Betty?'

'Weel, mem, I think sometimes he canna be weel, and maun hae a tod (fox) in 's stamack, or something o' that nater.For what he eats is awfu'.An' I think whiles he jist gangs up the stair to eat at 's ain wull.'

'That jumps wi' my ain observations, Betty.Do ye think he micht hae a rabbit, or maybe a pair o' them, in some boxie i' the garret, noo?'

'And what for no, gin he had, mem?'

'What for no? Nesty stinkin' things! But that's no the pint.Iaye hae to haud ye to the pint, Betty.The pint is, whether he has rabbits or no?'

'Or guinea-pigs,' suggested Betty.

'Weel.'

'Or maybe a pup or twa.Or I kent a laddie ance 'at keepit a haill faimily o' kittlins.Or maybe he micht hae a bit lammie.There was an uncle o' min' ain--'

'Haud yer tongue, Betty! Ye hae ower muckle to say for a' the sense there's intil 't.'

'Weel, mem, ye speirt questions at me.'

'Weel, I hae had eneuch o' yer answers, Betty.Gang and tell Robert to come here direckly.'

Betty went, knowing perfectly that Robert had gone out, and returned with the information.Her mistress searched her face with a keen eye.

'That maun hae been himsel' efter a' whan ye thocht ye hard the door gang,' said Betty.

'It's a strange thing that I suld hear him benn here wi' the door steekit, an' your door open at the verra door-cheek o' the ither, an' you no hear him, Betty.And me sae deif as weel!'

''Deed, mem,' retorted Betty, losing her temper a little, 'I can be as deif 's ither fowk mysel' whiles.'

When Betty grew angry, Mrs.Falconer invariably grew calm, or, at least, put her temper out of sight.She was silent now, and continued silent till Betty moved to return to her kitchen, when she said, in a tone of one who had just arrived at an important resolution:

'Betty, we'll jist awa' up the stair an' luik.'

'Weel, mem, I hae nae objections.'

'Nae objections! What for suld you or ony ither body hae ony objections to me gaein' whaur I like i' my ain hoose? Umph!'

exclaimed Mrs.Falconer, turning and facing her maid.

'In coorse, mem.I only meant I had nae objections to gang wi' ye.'

'And what for suld you or ony ither woman that I paid twa pun' five i' the half-year till, daur to hae objections to gaein' whaur Iwantit ye to gang i' my ain hoose?'

'Hoot, mem! it was but a slip o' the tongue--naething mair.'

'Slip me nae sic slips, or ye'll come by a fa' at last, I doobt, Betty,' concluded Mrs.Falconer, in a mollified tone, as she turned and led the way from the room.

They got a candle in the kitchen and proceeded up-stairs, Mrs.

Falconer still leading, and Betty following.They did not even look into the ga'le-room, not doubting that the dignity of the best bed-room was in no danger of being violated even by Robert, but took their way upwards to the room in which he kept his school-books--almost the only articles of property which the boy possessed.Here they found nothing suspicious.All was even in the best possible order--not a very wonderful fact, seeing a few books and a slate were the only things there besides the papers on the shelves.

What the feelings of Shargar must have been when he heard the steps and voices, and saw the light approaching his place of refuge, we will not change our point of view to inquire.He certainly was as little to be envied at that moment as at any moment during the whole of his existence.

The first sense Mrs.Falconer made use of in the search after possible animals lay in her nose.She kept snuffing constantly, but, beyond the usual musty smell of neglected apartments, had as yet discovered nothing.The moment she entered the upper garret, however--'There's an ill-faured smell here, Betty,' she said, believing that they had at last found the trail of the mystery; 'but it's no like the smell o' rabbits.Jist luik i' the nuik there ahin' the door.'

'There's naething here,' responded Betty.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 毒医生化潮

    毒医生化潮

    在Y博士精心策划的生化危机爆发之时,各种各样的动物与人类的基因被改写。人类面临着巨大的危机。伴随着南山、西山、中山以及海外逐渐的陷落,被大规模丧尸占领,进而邪恶的丧尸与人类展开了激烈的角逐。爷爷雷诺用毕生的力量打造的“和平”时代背后还有许多不为人知的秘密。武器、子弹、生化实验、秘密基地与各种危险,最终的一切竟指向古书《山海经》,原来神秘的《山海经》竟是一本预言末世地图。雷恒作为后辈,背负着很重的担子,担任着生化毒医一职,无论是在医院还是战场上,他都有着很强大的觉悟。决心扫除一切障碍,为人类打造一片光明的未来。最终,雷恒再次踏上了为和平征战的旅途...
  • 仙路之创仙

    仙路之创仙

    起点搜索灭世龙王,带给你们一个全新的世界
  • 邪妃一笑狠倾城

    邪妃一笑狠倾城

    正常版:俗话说得好:不怕神一样的对手,就怕猪一样的队友我们亲爱的女主,就被自己的小徒弟坑…死了。穿就穿吧,穿到一个手无缚鸡之力的婴儿身上又是什么鬼?好,也认了,但是,本想安安生生的过完这一世,但在这个强者为尊的大陆上,又不得不奋斗起来宠溺版:她仰天躺在床上,翻过身,双手托着下巴,歪着头说:“啊,好无聊啊,你娶几个妃子给我玩嘛”案桌前,低着头批改官文的他,说“哦,好啊”第二日,以往和她做对的女子都齐齐“嫁”入了府中。第三日,“殿下,殿下,不好了,小殿下把云侧妃的头发烧了!”他在案桌前,头也不抬,面不改色的说“哦,烧完没?没烧完,再去帮小殿下添几把火,烧完了就送去静清寺”
  • 大道兵

    大道兵

    大劫过后,文明荡然无存。修真者最后一次盛世猛然降临,让世界再度被血与火笼罩。在一切破碎之时,一个孤寂的灵魂悄然重生,回到三十年前那个大劫还未降临的时代。而一个道兵的传奇,由此展开。“借我一次重生,还你万世太平,可否?”
  • 何处笙歌落

    何处笙歌落

    她忘记了悲伤的十五岁和卧病的十六岁,只剩间或发作的头疾。十七岁,她已是重生之人,肆意地成长。她与他一见钟情,却不知彼此的身份隔着国仇家恨。他是华国风流倜傥的三皇子,她是陵阳国洒脱不羁的二公主,爱情的长卷刚刚展开,却在长姐的逼迫下匆匆收场。漫天的大雪,满目的血色,她与他天人永隔。出宫多年,面上虽是看淡,心里却裂了一道伤痕,夜夜都是蚀骨的痛。她终于明白,渗到骨子里的痛,是说不出来的。
  • 甜宠可人小妻

    甜宠可人小妻

    星际大厦B座天台上,两个挺拔的年轻男人目目对视,细雨蒙蒙笼在两男人间。“即便你拥有整个锦市又如何,你已经把她弄丢了”“丢的只是五年的时间,这里没有丢”刚质问他的人掏出了根烟,点燃抽了几口丢掉,他好看的眉宇间拧了拧,看着他朝着出口走去。一个倩影被这个男人笔挺的身子挡住了。“你怎么跑到顶楼来了?我找你半天”这女人的声音牵动了自己,他追了出去。看到的却是,女人拉扯着这个男人的手腕,还很亲昵。有说有笑,那人还特地回头给他抛了一个深长的笑。隐约中,说笑的女人停下了脚步,回头看向他。撒开手看着对面的他:能抱一下吗?(本文纯属虚构,请勿模仿。)
  • 武侠之君临天下

    武侠之君临天下

    赵谦莫名其妙的穿越成为了一国皇帝赵乾,虽然只是小国皇帝,但那也是皇帝。可是赵谦却悲催的发现自己所处的环境却是内忧外患,随时都有可能被人拉下马。而赵谦却突然发现自己拥有一个可以穿梭进各个武侠位的面武侠空间,武侠空间呐!若是以前,赵谦一定会兴奋的大声叫喊出来。可是现在,他只能独自苦笑。现在他的身份是皇帝,不是江湖侠客。就算不给武将召唤系统,给个点将录什么的也可以啊,这算是怎么个情况。这丫是要他放弃皇位,仗剑江湖么?不过武侠空间怎么了,一样可以帮助自己。皇帝怎么了,一样可以仗剑江湖!江湖,朝堂,争霸!不一样的武侠,不一样的精彩!
  • 将侠

    将侠

    秦岭深处误入异界的少年,身体里奇异无比的石椅,命运?缘分?凭借着智慧,实力,如何在这片陌生的神州大地生存;神州之上,唯我独尊!
  • 雪后春天

    雪后春天

    小时候爸爸因为惧怕贫穷离开了家,母亲用生命支撑着这个家.有一天,母亲发生车祸,离开了一一和信儿.他们姐弟俩挺过来了吗?工作中的一一又会遇到些什么事呢?最爱的人,会爱一一吗?一一找到自己的幸福了吗?爸爸最后回来了吗?
  • 穿越之三国异界

    穿越之三国异界

    一位20世纪的大学生,因意外穿越到了三国世界,在哪里开始了他艰难的三国历程。在一开始,他没有地盘,没有兵马,也没有人才,又有什么关系呢?他有一个有超级召唤的系统,历史猛将任他差遣!想看历史穿越的同学们尽管来吧。想多了解的朋友加群:568969455。谢谢大家支持!