Angus painted in the most alarming colours the roads,or rather wild tracks,by which it would be necessary for him to travel into Argyleshire,and the wretched huts or bothies where he would be condemned to pass the night,and where no forage could be procured for his horse,unless he could eat the stumps of old heather.In short,he pronounced it absolutely impossible,that,after undertaking such a pilgrimage,the animal could be in any case for military service.The Englishman strongly confirmed all that Angus had said,and gave himself,body and soul,to the devil,if he thought it was not an act little short of absolute murder to carry a horse worth a farthing into such a waste and inhospitable desert.Captain Dalgetty for an instant looked steadily,first at one of the gentlemen and next at the other,and then asked them,as if in a state of indecision,what they would advise him to do with Gustavus under such circumstances.
"By the hand of my father,my dear friend,"answered M'Aulay,"if you leave the beast in my keeping,you may rely on his being fed and sorted according to his worth and quality,and that upon your happy return,you will find him as sleek as an onion boiled in butter."
"Or,"said Sir Miles Musgrave,"if this worthy cavalier chooses to part with his charger for a reasonable sum,I have some part of the silver candlesticks still dancing the heys in my purse,which I shall be very willing to transfer to his."
"In brief,mine honourable friends,"said Captain Dalgetty,again eyeing them both with an air of comic penetration,"I find it would not be altogether unacceptable to either of you,to have some token to remember the old soldier by,in case it shall please M'Callum More to hang him up at the gate of his own castle.And doubtless it would be no small satisfaction to me,in such an event,that a noble and loyal cavalier like Sir Miles Musgrave,or a worthy and hospitable chieftain like our excellent landlord,should act as my executor."
Both hastened to protest that they had no such object,and insisted again upon the impassable character of the Highland paths.Angus M'Aulay mumbled over a number of hard Gaellic names,descriptive of the difficult passes,precipices,corries,and beals,through which he said the road lay to Inverary,when old Donald,who had now entered,sanctioned his master's account of these difficulties,by holding up his hands,and elevating his eyes,and shaking his head,at every gruttural which M'Aulay pronounced.But all this did not move the inflexible Captain.
"My worthy friends,"said he,"Gustavus is not new to the dangers of travelling,and the mountains of Bohemia;and (no disparagement to the beals and corries Mr.Angus is pleased to mention,and of which Sir Miles,who never saw them,confirms the horrors,)these mountains may compete with the vilest roads in Europe.In fact,my horse hath a most excellent and social quality;for although he cannot pledge in my cup,yet we share our loaf between us,and it will be hard if he suffers famine where cakes or bannocks are to be found.And,to cut this matter short,I beseech you,my good friends,to observe the state of Sir Duncan Campbell's palfrey,which stands in that stall before us,fat and fair;and,in return for your anxiety an my account,I give you my honest asseveration,that while we travel the same road,both that palfrey and his rider shall lack for food before either Gustavus or I."
Having said this he filled a large measure with corn,and walked up with it to his charger,who,by his low whinnying neigh,his pricked ears,and his pawing,showed how close the alliance was betwixt him and his rider.Nor did he taste his corn until he had returned his master's caresses,by licking his hands and face.After this interchange of greeting,the steed began to his provender with an eager dispatch,which showed old military habits;and the master,after looking on the animal with great complacency for about five minutes,said,--"Much good may it do your honest heart,Gustavus;--now must I go and lay in provant myself for the campaign."
He then departed,having first saluted the Englishman and Angus M'Aulay,who remained looking at each other for some time in silence,and then burst out into a fit of laughter.
"That fellow,"said Sir Miles Musgrave,"is formed to go through the world."
"I shall think so too,"said M'Aulay,"if he can slip through M'Callum More's fingers as easily as he has done through ours."
"Do you think,"said the Englishman,"that the Marquis will not respect,in Captain Dalgetty's person,the laws of civilized war?"
"No more than I would respect a Lowland proclamation,"said Angus M'Aulay.--"But come along,it is time I were returning to my guests."
CHAPTER IX.
--In a rebellion,When what's not meet,but what must be,was law,Then were they chosen,in a better hour,Let what is meet be said it must be meet,And throw their power i'the dust.CORIOLANUS.
In a small apartment,remote from the rest of the guests assembled at the castle,Sir Duncan Campbell was presented with every species of refreshment,and respectfully attended by Lord Menteith,and by Allan M'Aulay.His discourse with the latter turned upon a sort of hunting campaign,in which they had been engaged together against the Children of the Mist,with whom the Knight of Ardenvohr,as well as the M'Aulays,had a deadly and irreconcilable feud.Sir Duncan,however,speedily endeavoured to lead back the conversation to the subject of his present errand to the castle of Darnlinvarach.
