For though, seduced and led astray, Thou'st travell'd far
and wander'd long, Thy God hath seen thee all the way, And
all the turns that led thee wrong.
The Hall of Justice.
After the space of about three-quarters of an hour, which the
uncertainty and danger of their situation made seem almost thrice
as long, the voice of young Hazlewood was heard without. "Here I
am," he cried, "with a sufficient party."
"Come in then," answered Bertram, not a little pleased to find his
guard relieved. Hazlewood then entered, followed by two or three
countrymen, one of whom acted as a peace-officer. They lifted
Hatteraick up, and carried him in their arms as far as the entrance
of the vault was high enough to permit them; then laid him on his
back, and dragged him along as well as they could, for no
persuasion would induce him to assist the transportation by any
exertion of his own. He lay as silent and inactive in their hands
as a dead corpse, incapable of opposing, but in no way aiding,
their operations. When he was dragged into daylight, and placed
erect upon his feet among three or four assistants, who had
remained without the cave, he seemed stupefied and dazzled by the
sudden change from the darkness of his cavern. While others were
superintending the removal of Meg Merrilies, those who remained
with Hatteraick attempted to make him sit down upon a fragment of
rock which lay close upon the high-water mark. A strong shuddering
convulsed his iron frame for an instant, as he resisted their
purpose. "Not there--Hagel!--you would not make me sit There?"
These were the only words he spoke; but their import, and the deep
tone of horror in which they were uttered, served to show what was
passing in his mind.
When Meg Merrilies had also been removed from the cavern, with all
the care for her safety that circumstances admitted, they
consulted where she should be carried. Hazlewood had sent for a
surgeon, and proposed that she should be lifted in the meantime to
the nearest cottage. But the patient exclaimed with great
earnestness, "Na, na, na! To the Kaim o' Derncleugh--the Kaim o'
Derncleugh--the spirit will not free itself o' the flesh but
there."
"You must indulge her, I believe," said Bertram "her troubled
imagination will otherwise aggravate the fever of the wound."
They bore her accordingly to the vault. On the way her mind seemed
to run more upon the scene which had just passed, than on her own
approaching death. "There were three of them set upon him--I
brought the twasome--but wha was the third?--lt would be himself,
returned to work his airs vengeance!" '
It was evident that the unexpected appearance of Hazlewood, whose
person the outrage of Hatteraick left her no time to recognise, had
produced a strong effect on her imagination. She often recurred to
it. Hazlewood accounted for his unexpected arrival to Bertram, by
saying, that he had kept them in view for some time by the
direction of Mannering; that, observing them disappear into the
cave, he had crept after them, meaning to announce himself and his
errand, when his hand in the darkness encountering the leg of
Dinmont, had nearly produced a catastrophe, which, indeed, nothing
but the presence of mind and fortitude of the bold yeoman could
have averted.
When the gipsy arrived at the hut, she produced the key; and when
they entered, and were about to deposit her upon the bed, she said,
in an anxious tone, "Na, na! not that way, the feet to the east;"
and appeared gratified when they reversed her posture accordingly,
and placed her in that appropriate to dead body.
"Is there no clergyman near," said Bertram, "to assist this unhappy
woman's devotions?"
A gentleman, the minister of the parish, who had been Charles
Hazlewood's tutor, had, with many others, caught the alarm, that
the murderer of Kennedy was taken on the spot where the deed had
been done so many years before, and that a woman was mortally
wounded. From curiosity, or rather from the feeling that his duty
called him to scenes of distress, this gentleman had come to the
Kaim of Derncleugh, and now presented himself. The surgeon arrived
at the same time, and was about to probe the wound; but Meg
resisted the assistance of either. "It's no what man can do, that
will heal my body, or save my spirit. Let me speak what I have to
say, and then ye may work your will; I'se be nae hinderance.--But
where's Henry Bertram?"--the assistants, to whom this same had been
long a stranger, gazed upon each other.--"Yes!" she said, in a
stronger and harsher tone, "Isaid Henry Bertram of Ellangowan.
Stand from the light and let me see him."
All eyes--were turned towards Bertram, who approached the wretched
couch. The wounded woman took hold of his hand. "Look at him," she
said, "all that ever saw his father or his grandfather, and bear
witness if he is not their living image?" A murmur went through the
crowd--the resemblance was too striking to be denied. "And now
hear me--and let that man," pointing to Hatteraick, who was seated
with his keepers on a sea-chest at some distance-" let him deny
what I say, if he can. That is Henry Bertram, son to Godfrey
Bertram, umquhile of Ellangowan; that young man is the very
lad-bairn that Dirk Hatteraick carried off from Warroch Wood the
day that he murdered the gauger. I was there like a wandering
spirit--for I longed to see that wood or we left the country. I
saved the bairn's life, and sair, sair I prigged [*Begged] and
prayed they would leave him wi' me--But they bore him away, and
he's been lang ower the sea, and now he's come for his ain, and
what should withstand him?--I swore to keep the secret till he was
ane-an'-twenty--I kenn'd he believed to dree his weird [*Fulfil his
destiny] till that day cam--I keepit that oath which I took to
them--but I made another vow to mysell, that if I lived to see the
day of his return, I would set him in his father's seat, if every
step was on a dead man. I have keepit that oath too, I will be ae
step mysell--He (pointing to Hatteraick) will soon be another, and
there will be ane mair yet."
The clergyman, now interposing, remarked it was a pity this
deposition was not regularly taken and written down, and the
surgeon urged the necessity of examining the wound, previously to
exhausting her by questions. When she saw them remove Hatteraick,
in order to clear the room and leave the surgeon to his operations,
she called out aloud, raising herself at the same time upon the
couch, "Dirk Hatteraick, You and I will never meet again until we
are before the judgment-seat-Will ye own to what I have said, or
will you dare deny it?" He turned his hardened brow upon her, with
a look of dumb and inflexible defiance. "Dirk Hatteraick, dare ye
deny, with my blood upon your hands, one word of what my dying
breath is uttering?"--He looked at her with the same expression of
hardihood and dogged stubbornness, and moved his lips, but uttered
no sound. "Then fareweel!" she said, "and God forgive you! Your
hand has sealed my evidence.--When I was in life, I was the mad
randy gipsy, that had been scourged, and banished, and
branded--that had begged from door to door, and been hounded like a
stray tike [*Dog.] from parish to parish--wha would hae minded her
tale?--But now I am a dying woman, and my words will not fall to
the ground, any more than the earth will cover my blood!"
She here paused, and all left the hut except the surgeon and two or
three women. After a very short examination, he shook his head,
and resigned his post by the dying woman's side to the clergyman.
A chaise returning empty to Kippletringan had been stopped on the
high-road by a constable, who foresaw it would be necessary to
convey Hatteraick to jail. The driver, understanding what was
going on at Derncleugh, left his horses to the care of a
black-guard boy, confiding, it is to be supposed, rather in the
years and discretion of the cattle, than in those of their keeper,
and set off full speed to see, as he expressed himself, "whaten a
sort o' fun was gaun on." He arrived just as the group of tenants
and peasants, whose numbers increased every moment, satiated with
gazing upon the rugged features of Hatteraick, had turned their
attention towards Bertram. Almost all of them, especially the aged
men who had seen Ellangowan in his better days, felt and
acknowledged the justice of Meg Merrilies's appeal. But the Scotch
are a cautious people; they remembered there was another in
possession of the estate, and they as yet only expressed their
feelings in low whispers to each other. Our friend Jock Jabos, the
postilion, forced his way into the middle of the circle; but no
sooner cast his eyes upon Bertram, than he started back in
amazement, with a solemn exclamation, "As sure as there's breath in
man, it's auld Ellangowan arisen from the dead!"
This public declaration of an unprejudiced witness was just the
spark wanted to give fire to the popular feeling, which burst forth
in three distinct shouts:--"Bertram forever!"--"Long life to the
heir of Ellangowan!"--"God send him his ain, and to live among us
as his forebears did of yore!"
"I hae been seventy years an the land," said one person.
"I and mine hae been seventy and seventy to that said another; "I
have a right to ken the glance of a Bertram."
"I and mine hae been three hundred years here," said another old
man, "and I sall sell my last cow, but I'll see the young laird
placed in his right."
The women, ever delighted with the marvellous, and not less so when
a handsome young man is the subject of the tale, added their shrill
acclamations to the general all-hail. "Blessings on him--he's the
very picture o' his father!--the Bertrams were aye the wale o'
the country-side!"
"Eh! that his puir mother, that died in grief and in doubt about
him, had but--lived to see this day!" exclaimed some female
voices.
"But we'll help him to his ain, kimmers," cried others; "and before
Glossin sall keep the Place of Ellangowan, we'll howk him out o't
wi' our nails!"
Others crowded around Dinmont, who was nothing loth to tell what he
knew of his friend, and to boast the honour which he had in
contributing to the discovery. As he was known to several of the
principal farmers present, his testimony afforded an additional
motive to the general enthusiasm. In short, it was one of those
moments of intense feeling, when the frost of the Scottish people
melts like a snow-wreath, and the dissolving torrent carries dam
and dyke before it.
The sudden shouts interrupted the devotions of the
clergyman; and Meg, who was in one of those dozing fits of
stupefaction that precede the close of existence, suddenly
started-" Dinna ye bear?-dinna ye hear?--he's owned!-he's
owned!--I lived but for this. I am a sinful woman; but if
my curse brought it down, my blessing has taen it off! And
now I wad hae liked to hae said mair. But it canna be.
Stay"--she continued, stretching her head towards the
gleam of light that shot through the narrow slit which
served for a window, "Is he not there?--stand out o' the
light, and let me look upon him ance mair. But the darkness
is in my ain een," she said, sinking back, after an earnest
gaze upon vacuity--"it's a' ended now,
Pass breath,
Come death."
And, sinking back upon her couch of' straw, she expired without a
groan. The clergyman and the surgeon carefully noted down all that
she had said, now deeply regretting they had not examined her more
minutely, but both remaining morally convinced of the truth of her
disclosure.
Hazlewood was the first to compliment Bertram upon the near
prospect of his being restored to his name and rank in society. The
people around, who now learned from Jabos that Bertram was the
person who had wounded him, were struck with his generosity, and
added his name to Bertram's in their exulting acclamations.
Some, however, demanded of the postilion how he had not recognised
Bertram when he saw him some time before at Kippletringan? to which
he gave the very natural answer,--"Hout, what was I thinking
about Ellangowan then?--It was the cry that was rising e'en now
that the young laird was found, that put tire on finding out the
likeness--There was nae missing it ance ane was set to look for't."
The obduracy of Hatteraick, during the latter part of this scene,
was in some slight degree shaken. He was observed to twinkle with
his eyelids--to attempt to raise his bound hands for the purpose of
pulling his hat over his brow--to look angrily and impatiently to
the road, as if anxious for the vehicle which was to remove him
from the spot. At length Mr. Hazlewood, apprehensive that the
popular ferment might take a direction towards the prisoner,
directed he should be taken to the post-chaise, and so removed to
the town of Kippletringan to be at Mr. MacMorlan's disposal; at the
same time he sent an express to warn that gentleman of what had
happened. "And now," he said to Bertram, "Ishould be happy if you
would accompany me to Hazlewood House; but as that. might not be
so agreeable just now as I trust it will be in a day or two, you
must allow me to return with you to Woodbourne. But you are on
foot."--"Or if the young laird would take my horse!"--"Or
mine"--"Or mine," said half a dozen voices--"Or mine; he can trot
ten mile an hour without whip or spur, and he's the young--.
laird's frae this moment, if he likes to take him for a herezeld,
[*This hard word is placed in the mouth of one of the aged
tenants. In the old feudal tenures, the herezeld constituted the
best horse or other animal in the vassal's lands, became the right
of the superior. The only remnant of this custom is what is called
the sasine, or a fee of certain estimated value, paid to the
sheriff of the county, who gives possession to the vassals Of the
Crown. ] as they ca'd it lang syne."--Bertram readily accepted the
horse as a loan, and poured forth his thanks to the assembled crowd
for their good wishes, which they repaid with shouts and vows of
attachment.
While the happy owner was directing one lad to "gae doun for the
new saddle"; another, "just to rin the beast ower wi' a dry wisp o'
strae"; a third, "to hie doun and borrow Dan Dunkieson's plated
stirrups," and expressing his regret, "that there was nae time to
gie the nag a feed, that the young laird might ken his mettle,"
Bertram, taking the clergyman by the arm, walked into the vault,
and shut the door immediately after them. He gazed in silence for
some minutes upon the body of Meg Merrilies, as it lay before him,
with the features sharpened by death, yet still retaining the stern
and energetic character, which had maintained in life her
superiority as the wild chieftainess of the lawless people amongst
whom she was born. The young soldier dried the tears which
involuntarily rose on viewing this wreck of one, who might be said
to have died a victim to her fidelity to his person and family. He
then took the clergyman's hand, and asked solemnly, if she appeared
able to give that attention to his devotions which befitted a
departing person.
"My dear sir," said the good minister, "I trust this poor woman had
remaining sense to feel and join in the import of my prayers. But
let us humbly hope we are judged of by our opportunities of
religious and moral instruction. In some degree she might be
considered as an uninstructed heathen, even in the bosom of a
Christian country; and let us remember, that the errors and vices
of an ignorant life were balanced by instances of disinterested
attachment, amounting almost to heroism. To Him, who can alone
weigh our crimes and errors against our efforts towards virtue, we
consign her with awe, but not without hope."
"May I request," said Bertram, "that you will see every decent
solemnity attended to in behalf of this poor woman? I have some
property belonging to her in my hands-at all events I will be
answerable for the expense--you will hear of me at Woodbourne."
Dinmont, who had been furnished with a horse by one of his
acquaintance, now loudly called out that all was ready for their
return; and Bertram and Hazlewood, after a strict exhortation to
the crowd, which was now increased to several hundreds, to preserve
good order in their rejoicing, as the least ungoverned zeal might
be turned to the disadvantage of the young Laird, as they termed
him, took their leave amid the shouts of the multitude.
As they rode past the ruined cottages at Derncleugh, Dinmont said,
"I'm sure when ye come to your ain, Captain, ye'll no forget to
big [*Build] a bit cot-house there? Deil be in me but I wad dot
mysell, an it werena in better hands.--I wadna like to live in't
though, after what she said. Odd, I wad put in auld Elspeth, the
bedral's [*Beadle's] widow--the like o' them's used wi' graves and
ghaists, and thae things."
A short but brisk ride brought them to Woodbourne. The news of
their exploit had already flown far and wide, and the whole
inhabitants of the vicinity met them on the lawn with shouts of
congratulation. "That you have seen, me alive," said Bertram to
Lucy, who first ran up to him, though Julia's eyes even anticipated
hers, "you must thank these kind friends."
With a blush expressing at once pleasure, gratitude, and
bashfulness, Lucy curtsied to Hazlewood, but to Dinmont she frankly
extended her hand. The honest farmer, in the extravagance of his
joy, carried his freedom farther than the hint warranted, for he
imprinted his thanks on the lady's lips, and was instantly shocked
at the rudeness of his own conduct. "Lord-sake, madam, I ask your
pardon," he. said; "I forgot but ye had been a bairn o' my ain--the
Captain's sae hamely, he gars ane forget himsell."
Old Pleydell now advanced. "Nay, if fees like these are going--" he
said.
"Stop, stop, Mr. Pleydell," said Julia, "you had your fees
beforehand--remember last night."
"Why, I do confess a retainer," said the barrister; but if I don't
deserve double fees from both Miss Bertram and you when I conclude
my examination of Dirk Hatteraick tomorrow--Gad, I will so supple
him!--You shall see, Colonel, and you, my saucy misses, though you
may not see, shall hear."
"Ay, that's if we choose to listen, counsellor," replied Julia.
"And you think," said Pleydell, "it's two to one you won't choose
that?--But you have curiosity that teaches you the use of your ears
now and then."
"I declare, counsellor," answered the lively damsel, "that such
saucy bachelors, as you would teach us the use of our fingers now
and then."
"Reserve them for the harpsichord, my love," said the counsellor.
"Better for all parties."
While this idle chat ran on, Colonel Mannering introduced to
Bertram a plain good-looking man, in a gray coat and waistcoat,
buckskin breeches, and boots. "This, my dear sir, is Mr.
Mac-Morlan."
"To whom," said Bertram, embracing him cordially, "my sister was
indebted for a home, when deserted by all her natural friends and
relations."
The Dominie then pressed forward, grinned, chuckled, made a
diabolical sound in attempting to whistle, and finally, unable to
stifle his emotions, ran away to empty the feelings of his heart at
his eyes.
We shall not attempt to describe the expansion of heart and glee of
this happy evening.
--How like a hateful ape, Detected grinning 'midst his
pilfer'd hoard, A cunning man appears, whose secret frauds
Are open'd to the day! Count
Basil.
There was a great movement at Woodbourne early on the following
morning, to attend the examination at Kippletringan. Mr. Pleydell,
from the investigation which he had formerly bestowed on the dark
affair of Kennedy's death, as well as from the general deference
due to his professional abilities, was requested by Mr. Mac-Morlan
and Sir Robert Hazlewood, and another justice of peace who
attended, to take the situation of chairman, and the lead in the
examination. Colonel Mannering was invited to sit down with them.
The examination, being previous to trial, was private in other
respects.
The counsellor resumed and re-interrogated former evidence. He then
examined the clergyman and surgeon respecting the dying declaration
of Meg Merrilies. They stated, that she distinctly, positively,
and repeatedly, declared herself an eye-witness of Kennedy's
"death by the hands of Hatteraick" and two or three of his crew;
that her presence was accidental; that she believed their
resentment at meeting him, when they mere in the act of losing
their vessel through 'the means of his information, led to the
commission of the crime; that she said there was one witness of the
murder, but who refused to participate in it, still alive,--her
nephew, Gabrie Faa; and she had hinted at another person, who was
an accessory after not before, the fact; but her strength there
failed her. They did not forget to mention her declaration, that
she had saved the child, and that he was torn from her by the
smugglers, for the purpose of carrying him to Holland.--All these
particulars were carefully reduced to writing.
Dirk Hatteraick was then brought in, heavily ironed; for he had
been strictly secured and guarded, owing to his former escape. He
was asked his name; he made no answer--His profession; he was
silent :--Several other questions were put, to none of which he
returned any reply. Pleydell wiped the glasses of his spectacles,
and considered the prisoner very attentively. "A very
truculent-looking fellow," he whispered to Mannering; "but, as
Dogberry says, I'll go cunningly to work with him.--Here, call in
Soles--Soles the shoemaker.--Soles, do you remember measuring
some footsteps imprinted on the mud at the wood of Warroch,
on--November 17--, by my orders?" Soles remembered the
circumstance perfectly. "Look at that paper--is that your note of
the measurement?"--Soles verified the memorandum--"Now, there
stands a pair of shoes on that table; measure them, and see if they
correspond with any of the marks you have noted there." The
shoemaker obeyed, and declared, "that they answered exactly to the
largest of the footprints."
"We shall prove," said the counsellor, aside to Mannering, "that
these shoes, which were found in the ruins of Derncleugh, belonged
to Brown, the fellow whom you shot on the lawn at Woodbourne.--Now,
Soles, measure that prisoner's feet very accurately."
Mannering observed Hatteraick strictly, and could notice a visible
tremor. "Do these measurements correspond with any of the
foot-prints?"
The man looked at the note, then at his foot-rule and measure--then
verified his former measurement by a second. "They correspond," he
said, "within a hair-breadth, to a foot-mark broader and shorter
than the former."
Hatteraick's genius here deserted him--"Der deyvil!" he broke out,
"how could there be a foot-mark on the ground, when it was a frost
as hard as the heart of a Memel log?"
"In the evening, I grant you, Captain Hatteraick," said Pleydell,
"but not in the forenoon--will you favour me with information where
you were upon the day you remember so exactly?"
Hatteraick saw his blunder, and again screwed up his hard
features for obstinate silence--"Put down his observation,
however," said Pleydell to the clerk.
At this moment the door opened, and, much to the surprise of most
present, Mr. Gilbert Glossin made his appearance. That worthy
gentleman had, by dint of watching and eavesdropping, ascertained
that he was not mentioned by name in Meg Merrilies's dying
declaration, a circumstance, certainly not owing to any favourable
disposition towards him, but to the delay of taking her regular
examination, and to the rapid approach of death. He therefore
supposed himself safe from all evidence but such as might arise
from Hatteraick's confession; to prevent which he resolved to push
a bold face, and join his brethren of the bench during his
examination.--"I shall be able," he thought, "to make the rascal
sensible his safety lies in keeping his own counsel and mine; and
my presence, besides, will be a proof of confidence and innocence.
If I must lose the estate, I must--but I trust better things."
He entered with a profound salutation to Sir Robert Hazlewood. Sir
Robert, who had rather begun to suspect that his plebeian neighbour
had made a cat's-paw of him, inclined his head stiffly, took snuff,
and looked another way.
"Mr. Corsand," said Glossin to the other yoke-fellow of justice,
"your most humble servant."
"Your humble servant, Mr. Glossin," answered Mr. Corsand dryly,
composing his countenance regis ad exemplar, that is to say, after
the fashion of the Baronet.
"Mac-Morlan, my worthy friend," continued Glossin, how d'ye
do--always on your duty--?"
"Umph," said honest Mac-Morlan, with little respect either to the
compliment or salutation. "Colonel Mannering (a low bow slightly
returned) and Mr. Pleydell (another low bow), I dared not have
hoped for your assistance to poor country gentlemen at this period
of the session."
Pleydell took snuff, and eyed him with a glance equally shrewd and
sarcastic--"I'll teach him," he said aside to Mannering, "the value
of the old admonition, No accesseris in consilium antequam
voceris."
"But perhaps I intrude, gentlemen?" said Glossin, who could not
fail to observe the coldness of his reception.--"Is this an open
meeting?"
"For my part," said Mr. Pleydell, "so far from considering your
attendance as an intrusion, Mr. Glossin, I was never so pleased in
my life to meet with you; especially as I think we should, at any
rate, have had occasion to request the favour of your company in
the course of the day."
"Well, then, gentlemen," said Glossin, drawing his chair to the
table, and beginning to bustle about among the papers, "where are
we?--how far have we got? where are the declarations?"
"Clerk, give me all these papers," said Mr. Pleydell;--"I have an
odd way of arranging my documents, Mr. Glossin, another person
touching them puts me out-but I shall have occasion for your
assistance by and by."
Glossin, thus reduced to inactivity, stole one glance at Dirk
Hatteraick, but could read nothing in his dark scowl save malignity
and hatred to all around. "But, gentlemen," said Glossin, "is it
right to keep his poor man so heavily ironed, when he is taken up
merely for examination?"
This was hoisting a kind of friendly signal to the prisoner. "He
has escaped once before," said Mac-Morlan dryly, and Glossin was
silenced.
Bertram was now introduced, and, to Glossin's confusion, was
greeted in the most friendly manner by all present, even by Sir
Robert Hazlewood himself. He told his recollections of, his
infancy with that candour and caution of expression which afforded
the best warrant for his good faith. "This seems to be rather a
civil, than a criminal question", said Glossin rising; "and as you
cannot be ignorant, gentlemen, of the effect which this young
person's pretended parentage may have on my patrimonial interest, I
would rather beg leave to retire."
"No, my good sir," said Mr. Pleydell. "we can by no means spare
you. But why do you call this young man's claims pretended?--I
don't mean to fish for your defences against them, if you have any,
but--"
"Mr. Pleydell," replied Glossin, "Iam always disposed to act
aboveboard, and I think I can explain the matter at once.--This
young fellow, whom I take to be a natural son of the late
Ellangowan, has gone about the country for some weeks under
different names, caballing with a wretched old madwoman, who, I
understand, was shot in a late scuffle, and with other tinkers,
gipsies, and persons of that description, and a great brute farmer
from Liddesdale, stirring up the tenants against their landlords,
which, as Sir Robert Hazlewood of Hazlewood knows--"
"Not to interrupt you, Mr. Glossin," said Pleydell, "I ask who you
say this young man is?"
"Why, I say," replied Glossin, "and I believe that gentleman
(looking at Hatteraick) knows, that the young man is the natural
son of the late Ellangowan, by a girl called Janet Lightoheel, who
was afterwards married to Hewit the shipwright, that lived in the
neighbourhood of Annan. His name is Godfrey Bertram Hewit, by
which name he was entered on board the Royal Caroline excise
yacht."
"Ay said Pleydell, that is a very likely story--but, not to pause
upon some difference of eyes, complexion, and so forth--be pleased
to step forward, sir."--A young seafaring man came
forward.--"Here," proceeded the counsellor, "is the real Simon
Pure--here's Godfrey Bertram Hewit, arrived last night from Antigua
via Liverpool, mate of a West Indian, and in a fair way of doing
well in the world, although he came somewhat irregularly into it."
While some conversation passed between the other justices and this
young man, Pleydell lifted from among the papers on the table
Hatteraick's old pocket-book. A peculiar glance of the smuggler's
eye induced the shrewd lawyer to think there was something here of
interest. He therefore continued the examination of the papers,
laying the book on the table, but instantly perceived that the
prisoner's interest in the research had cooled.--"It must be in the
book still, whatever it is," thought Pleydell; and again applied
himself to the packet-book, until he discovered, on a narrow
scrutiny, a slit between the pasteboard and leather, out of which
he drew three small slips of paper. Pleydell now, turning to
Glossin, requested the favour that he would tell them if he had
assisted at the search for the body of Kennedy, and the child of
his patron, on the day when they disappeared.
"I did not--that is--I did," answered the conscience-struck
Glossin.
"It is remarkable though," said the advocate, that, connected as
you were with the Ellangowan family, I don't recollect your being
examined, or even appearing before me, while that investigation was
proceeding?"
"I was called to London," answered Glossin, "on most important
business, the morning after that sad affair."
"Clerk," said Pleydell, "minute down that reply.--I presume the
business, Mr. Glossin, was to negotiate these three bills, drawn by
you on Messrs. Vanbeest and Vanbruggen, and accepted by one Dirk
Hatteraick in their name on the very day of the murder. I
congratulate you on their being regularly retired, as I perceive
they have been. I think the chances were against it." Glossin's
countenance fell. "This piece of real evidence," continued Mr.
Pleydell, "makes good the account given of your conduct on this
occasion by a man called Gabriel Faa, whom we have now in custody,
and who witnessed the whole transaction between you and that worthy
prisoner--Have you any explanation to give?"
"Mr. Pleydell," said Glossin, with great composure, presume, if you
were my counsel, you would not advise me to answer upon the spur of
the moment to a charge which the basest of mankind seem ready to
establish by perjury."
"My advice," said the counsellor, "would be regulated by my opinion
of your innocence or guilt. In your case, I believe you take the
wisest course; but you are aware you must stand committed?"
"Committed? for what, sir replied Glossin. "Upon a charge of
murder?"
"No; only as art and part of kidnapping the child."
"That is a bailable offence."
"Pardon me," said Pleydell, "it is plagium, and plagium is felony."
"Forgive me, Mr. Pleydell; there is only one case upon record,
Torrence and Waldie. They were, you remember, resurrection-women,
who had promised to procure a child's body for some young
surgeons. Being upon honour to their employers, rather than
disappoint the evening lecture of the students, they stole a live
child, murdered it, and sold the body for three shillings and
sixpence. They were hanged, but for the murder, not for the
plagium. [*This is, in its circumstances and issue, actually a case
tried and reported] Your civil law has carried you a little too
far."
"Well, sir; but, in the meantime, Mr. Mac-Morlan must commit you to
the county jail, in case this young man repeats the same
story.--Officers, remove Mr. Glossin and Hatteraick, and guard
them in different apartments."
Gabriel, the gipsy, was then introduced, and gave a distinct
account of his deserting from Captain Pritchard's vessel and
joining the smugglers in the action, detailed how Dirk Hatteraick
set fire to his ship when he found her disabled, and under cover of
the smoke escaped with his crew, and as much goods as they could
save, into the cavern, where they proposed to lie till nightfall.
Hatteraick himself, his mate Vanbeest Brown, and three others, of
whom the declarant was 'one, went into the adjacent woods to
communicate with some of their friends in the neighbourhood. They
fell in with Kennedy unexpectedly, and Hatteraick and Brown, aware
that he was the occasion of their disasters, resolved to murder
him. He stated, that he had seen them lay violent hands on the
officer, and drag him through the woods, but had not partaken in
the assault, nor witnessed its termination. That he returned to
the cavern, by a different route, where he again met Hatteraick and
his accomplices; and the captain was in the act of giving an
account how he and Brown had pushed a huge crag over, as Kennedy
lay groaning on the beach, when Glossin suddenly appeared among
them. To the whole transaction by which Hatteraick purchased his
secrecy he was witness. Respecting young Bertram. he could give a
distinct account till he went to India, after which he had lost
sight of him until he unexpectedly met with him in Liddesdale.
Gabriel Faa further stated, that he instantly sent notice to his
aunt, Meg Merrilies, as well as to Hatteraick, who he knew was then
upon the coast; but that he had incurred his aunt's displeasure
upon the latter account. He concluded, that his aunt had
immediately declared that she would do all that lay in her power to
help young Ellangowan to his right, even if it should be by
informing against Dirk Hatteraick; and that many of her people
assisted her besides himself, from a belief that she was gifted
with supernatural inspirations. With the same purpose, he
understood, his aunt had given to Bertram the treasure of the
tribe, of which she had the custody. Three or four gipsies, by the
express command of Meg Merrilies, mingled in the crowd when the
Custom-house was attacked, for the purpose of liberating Bertram,
which he had himself effected. He said, that in obeying Meg's
dictates they did not pretend to estimate their propriety or
rationality, the respect in which she was held by her tribe
precluding all such subjects of speculation. Upon further
interrogation, the witness added, that his aunt had always said
that Harry Bertram carried that round his neck which would
ascertain his birth. It was a spell, she said that an Oxford
scholar had made for him, and she possessed the smugglers with an
opinion, that to deprive him of it would occasion the loss of the
vessel.
Bertram here produced a small velvet bag, which he said he had worn
round his neck from his earliest infancy, and which he had
preserved, first from superstitious reverence, and, latterly, from
the hope that it might serve one day to aid in the discovery of his
birth. The bag, being opened, was found to contain a blue silk
case, front which was drawn a scheme of nativity. Upon inspecting
this paper, Colonel Mannering instantly admitted it was his own
composition; and afforded the strongest and most satisfactory
evidence, that the possessor of it must necessarily be the young
heir of Ellangowan, by avowing his having first appeared in that
country in the character of an astrologer.
"And now," said Pleydell, "make out warrants of commitment for
Hatteraick and Glossin until liberated in due course of law. Yet,"
he said, "I am sorry for Glossin."
"Now, I think," said Mannering, "he's incomparably the least
deserving of pity of the two. The other's a bold fellow, though as
hard as flint."
"Very natural, Colonel," said the advocate, "that you should be
interested in the ruffian, and I in the knave--that's all
professional taste--but I can tell you Glossin would have been a
pretty lawyer, had he not had such a turn for the roguish part of
the profession."
"Scandal would say," observed Mannering, "he might not be the worse
lawyer for that."
"Scandal would tell a lie, then," replied Pleydell, "'as she
usually does. Law's like laudanum; it's much more easy to use it
as a quack does, than to learn to apply it like a physician."