THE ANTIQUARY appeared in May 1816: it was commenced a little before
the close of the previous year. By the author it was regarded as less
interesting than its predecessors, but the public showed appreciation by
purchasing 6000 copies within six days of its publication. Like the two
former novels, it is a representation of various scenes and phases
of Scottish Life as contemplated by the author himself. In our first
engraving, Mr Oldbuck is on a visit at Elspeth's hut to inquire into
mysteries connected with the house of Glenallan, mysteries in which she
had been initiated, and crimes to which she had been accessory. He is
accompanied by his nephew and Edie Ochiltree, the latter having on one
occasion been dispatched by Elspeth with a message to Lord Glenallan.
"No, wretched Beldam," exclaimed Oldbuck, who could keep silence no
longer, "they drank the poison that you and your wretched mistress
prepared for them."
"Ha, ha!" she replied, "I aye thought it would come to this; it's but
sitting silent when they examine,-there's nae torture in our days;
and if there is, let them rend me. It's ill o' the vassal's mouth that
betrays the bread it eats."
"Speak to her, Edie," said the Antiquary, "she knows your voice, and
answers to it most readily."
"We shall mak naething mair out o' her," said Ochiltree; "when she has
clinkit herself down that way, and faulded her arms, she winna speak a
word, they say, for weeks thegither. And besides, to my thinking, her
face is sair changed since we came in. However, I'll try her once more
to satisfy your honour. So you canna keep in mind, cummer, that your
auld mistress, the Countess Joscelin, has been removed?"
"Removed!" she exclaimed, for that name never failed to produce its
usual effect upon her, "then we maun a' follow. A' maun ride when she is
in the saddle: tell them to let Lord Geraldin know we're on before them.
Bring my hood and scarf; ye wadna hae me gang in the carriage wi' my
leddy, and my hair in this fashion?" She raised her shrivelled arms,
and seemed busied like a woman who puts on her cloak to go abroad, then
dropped them slowly and stiffly; and the same idea of a journey still
floating apparently through her head, she proceeded in a hurried
and interrupted manner-"Call Miss Neville; what do you mean by Lady
Geraldine? I said Eveline Neville-not Lady Geraldine-there's no Lady
Geraldine; tell her that, and bid her change her wet gown, and no' look
so pale. Teresa-Teresa, my lady calls us! Bring a candle, the grand
staircase is as mirk as a yule midnight. We are coming, my lady!" With
these words she sunk back on the settle, and from thence sidelong to the
floor. Edie ran to support her, but hardly got her in his arms before he
said, "It's a' ower, she has passed away even with that last word."
[Illustration: 036]
[Illustration: 037]
Mr Cruikshank has portrayed with his wonted humour the amusing scene at
the Post-Office, in which Mrs Heukbane and Mrs Shortcake are examining,
with eager countenances, the love-letter of Richard Taffrail to Jenny
Caxon. They threw themselves on the supposed love-letter, like the weird
sisters in Macbeth, upon the pilot's thumb, with curiosity as eager,
and scarcely less malignant. Mrs Heukbane was a tall woman; she held the
precious epistle up between her eyes and the window. Mrs Shortcake, a
little squat personage, strained and stood on tiptoe to have her share
of the investigation. "It's frae him sure enough," said the butcher's
lady; "I can read Richard Taffrail on the corner; and it's written, like
John Thomson's wallet, frae end to end.'
"Haud it lower down, madam," exclaimed Mrs Shortcake, in a tone above
the prudential whisper which their occupation required; "haud it lower
down; div ye think naebody can read hand o' writ but yoursel'?"
"Whisht, whisht," said Mrs Mail-letter, "there's somebody in the shop."