Lord Glenallan's politeness had induced him to turn away and talk with the ladies, when the dispute between the uncle and nephew appeared to grow rather too animated to be fit for the ear of a stranger, but the Earl mingled again in the conversation when the placable tone of the Antiquary expressed amity.Having received a brief account of the mendicant, and of the accusation brought against him, which Oldbuck did not hesitate to ascribe to the malice of Dousterswivel, Lord Glenallan asked, whether the individual in question had not been a soldier formerly?--He was answered in the affirmative.
``Had he not,'' continued his Lordship, ``a coarse blue coat, or gown, with a badge?--was he not a tall, striking-looking old man, with grey beard and hair, who kept his body remarkably erect, and talked with an air of ease and independence, which formed a strong contrast to his profession?''
``All this is an exact picture of the man,'' refumed Oldbuck.
``Why, then,'' continued Lord Glenallan, ``although I fear I can be of no use to him in his present condition, yet I owe him a debt of gratitude for being the first person who brought me some tidings of the utmost importance.I would willingly offer him a place of comfortable retirement, when he is extricated from his present situation.''
``I fear, my lord,'' said Oldbuck, ``he would have difficulty in reconciling his vagrant habits to the acceptance of your bounty, at least I know the experiment has been tried without effect.To beg from the public at large he considers as independence, in comparison to drawing his whole support from the bounty of an individual.He is so far a true philosopher, as to be a contemner of all ordinary rules of hours and times.
When he is hungry he eats; when thirsty he drinks; when weary he sleeps; and with such indifference with respect to the means and appliances about which we make a fuss, that Isuppose he was never ill dined or ill lodged in his life.Then he is, to a certain extent, the oracle of the district through which he travels--their genealogist, their newsman, their master of the revels, their doctor at a pinch, or their divine;--I promise you he has too many duties, and is too zealous in performing them, to be easily bribed to abandon his calling.But I should be truly sorry if they sent the poor light-hearted old man to lie for weeks in a jail.I am convinced the confinement would break his heart.''
Thus finished the conference.Lord Glenallan, having taken leave of the ladies, renewed his offer to Captain M`Intyre of the freedom of his manors for sporting, which was joyously accepted, ``I can only add,'' he said, ``that if your spirits are not liable to be damped by dull company, Glenallan House is at all times open to you.On two days of the week, Friday and Saturday, l keep my apartment, which will be rather a relief to you, as you will be left to enjoy the society of my almoner, Mr.Gladsmoor, who is a scholar and a man of the world.''
Hector, his heart exulting at the thoughts of ranging through the preserves of Glenallan House, and over the well-protected moors of Clochnaben--nay, joy of joys! the deer-forest of Strath-Bonnel--made many acknowledgements of the honour and gratitude he felt.Mr.Oldbuck was sensible of the Earl's attention to his nephew; Miss M`Intyre was pleased because her brother was gratified; and Miss Griselda Oldbuck looked forward with glee to the potting of whole bags of moorfowl and black-game, of which Mr.Blattergowl was a professed admirer.
Thus,--which is always the case when a man of rank leaves a private family where he has studied to appear obliging,--all were ready to open in praise of the Earl as soon as he had taken his leave, and was wheeled off in his chariot by the four admired bays.But the panegyric was cut short, for Oldbuck and his nephew deposited themselves in the Fairport hack, which, with one horse trotting, and the other urged to a canter, creaked, jingled, and hobbled towards that celebrated seaport, in a manner that formed a strong contrast to the rapidity and smoothness with which Lord Glenallan's equipage had seemed to vanish from their eyes.
