Quangrollart's account of Youwarkee's journey, and
reception at her father's.
Having set on the table some brandy and Madeira, and each of us taken
one glass of both, I showed, by the attentiveness of my aspect and
posture, how desirous I was he should proceed to what he had promised.
Observing this, he went on in the following manner:--"Brother Peter,"
says he, "my sister Youwarkee, as I don't doubt you will be glad to hear
of her first, arrived very safe at Arndrumnstake the third day after
she left you, and after a very severe flight to the dear little
Hallycarnie,* who was a full day and a night on her graundee; and at
last would not have been able to have reached Battringdrigg but for my
sister's assistance, who, taking her sometimes on her back for a short
flight, by those little refreshments enabled her to perform it: but from
Battringdrigg, after some hours' rest, they came with pleasure to
the White Mountains, from whence, after a small stay, they arrived at
Arndrumnstake.
* One of Wilkins' daughters.
"They alighted at our covett,* but were opposed at their entrance by the
guards, to whom they did not choose to discover themselves, till notice
was given to my father; who, upon hearing that some strangers desired
admittance to him, sent me to introduce them, if they were proper
persons for his presence, or else give orders for such other reception
as was suitable to them.
"When I came to the guard, I found three gawrys and a glumm boss,**
whose appearance and behaviour, I must own, prejudiced me very much in
their favour. I then asked from whence they came, and their business
with the colamb. You-warkee told me they came not about business of
public concern, relating to the colamb's office, but out of a dutiful
regard, as relations, to kiss his knees.--'My father' said I, 'shall
know it immediately; but first, pray inform me of your name?'--'Your
father!' replied Youwarkee; 'are you my brother Quangrollart?'--'My name
is so,' says I, 'but I have only one sister, now with my father, and
how I can be your brother, I am not able to guess.'--'Have you never had
another sister?' says she.--'Yes,' says I, 'but she is long since dead;
her name was Youwarkee.' At my mentioning her name, she fell upon
my neck in tears, crying, 'My dear brother, I am that dead sister
Youwarkee, and these with me are some of my children, for I have five
more; but, pray, how does my father and sister?'--I started back at this
declaration, to view her and the children, fearing it was some gross
imposition, not in the least knowing or remembering anything of her
face, after so long an absence; but I desired them to walk in, till I
told my father.
* Capital Seat.
** Youth.
"The guard observing the several passages between us, were amazed to
think who it could be had so familiarly embraced me; especially as they
saw I only played a passive part in it.
"When I went in, I did not think proper directly to inform my father
what had happened; but calling my sister Hallycarnie, I let her into
the circumstances of this odd affair, and desired her advice what to do:
'For,' says I, 'surely this must be some impostor; and as my father has
scarce subdued his sorrow for my sister's loss, if this gawry should
prove a deceiver, it will only revive his affliction, and may prove at
this time extremely dangerous to him: therefore let us consider what had
best be done in the matter.'
"Hallycarnie, who had attentively weighed all I said, seemed to think
it was some cheat, as well as I did; for we could neither of us conceive
that anything but death, or being slit, could have kept Youwarkee so
long from the knowledge of her relations; and that neither of them could
be the case was plain, if the person attending was Youwarkee. 'Besides,
brother,' says Hallycarnie, 'she cannot surely be so much altered in
fifteen years, but you must have known her; and yet, now I think, it is
possible, you being so much younger, may have forgot her; but whilst we
have been talking of her, I have so well recollected her, that I think I
could hardly be imposed upon by any deceiver.' "I then desired her to
go with me to the strangers and see if she could make any discovery. She
did so, and had no sooner entered the abb,* but Youwarkee called
out, 'My dear sister Hally-carnie!' and she as readily recollecting
Youwarkee, they in transport embraced each other; and then your wife
presenting to us her three children, it proved the tenderest scene,
except the following, I ever saw.
* Room.
"My father having kept his chamber some time with a fever, and though he
was pretty well recovered, having not yet been out of it, we consulted
how we might introduce our sister and children to him, with as little
surprise as might be, for fear of a relapse by too great a hurry of his
spirits. At length we concluded I should go tell him that some strangers
had arrived desiring to see him; but on inquiry, finding their business
was too trifling to trouble him upon, I had despatched them; I was then
to say how like one of them was to my sister Youwarkee; and whilst I was
speaking, Hallycarnie was to enter, and keep up the discourse till we
should find a proper opportunity of discovery. I went in, therefore, as
had been agreed; and upon mentioning the name of Youwarkee, my father
fetched a deep sigh and turned away from me in tears. At that instant
Hallycarnie came in as by accident. 'Sir,' says she, 'what makes you so
sad? are you worse to-day?'--'Oh,' says he, 'I have heard a name that
will never be out of my heart, till I am in hoximo.'*--'What, I suppose
my sister?'--''Tis true,' replied he, 'the same.'--Says she, 'I fancied
so, for I have just seen a stranger as like her as two dorrs** could be,
and would have sworn it was she, if that had been possible. I thought my
brother had been so imprudent as to mention her to you; and I think he
did not do well to rip up an old sore he knew was almost healed, and
make it break out afresh.'--'Ah! no, child,' says my father, 'that sore
never has, nor can be healed. O Great Image! why can't it by some means
or other be ascertained what end she came to?'
* A place where the dead are buried.
** A fruit like an apple.
"'Sir,' says my sister, 'I think you are much to blame for these
exclamations, after so long absence; for, if she be dead, what use are
they of? and if she be not, all may be well, and you may still see her
again.'--'Oh, never, never!' says my father; 'but could I be sure she
was alive, I would take a swangean and never close my graundee till I
found her, or dropt dead in the search.'--'And suppose you could meet
with her, sir,' says I, 'the very sight would overcome you, and be
dangerous.' 'No, believe me, boy,' says he, 'I should then be fully easy
and composed; and were she to come in this moment, I should suffer no
surprise, but pleasure.'--'No surprise, sir?' says I.--'Not if she were
alive and well,' says he.--'Then, sir,' says Hallycarnie, 'will you
excuse me if I introduce her?' and went out directly without staying for
an answer.
"When she was gone, 'Quangrollart,' says my father sternly, 'what is the
meaning of yours and your sister's playing thus upon my weakness? It is
what I can upon no account forgive. It looks as if you were weary of
me, and wanted to break my heart. To what purpose is all this prelude of
yours, to introduce to me somebody, who, by her likeness to my daughter,
may expose me to your scoff and raillery? This is a disobedience I never
expected from either of you.'
"'The Great Image attend me!' says I; 'sir, you have much mistaken me;
but I will not leave you in doubt, even till Hallycarnie's return. You
shall see Youwarkee with her; for all our discourse, I'll assure you,
has but been concerted to prepare you for her reception, with three of
her children.' 'And am I then, says he, in a transport, 'still to be
blessed?'--'You are, sir,' says I, 'assure yourself you are.'
"By this time we heard them coming, but my poor father had not power to
go to meet them: and upon Youwarkee's nearer approach, to fall at his
knees, his limbs failing him, he sunk, and without speaking a word, fell
backwards on a cught drappec,* which stood behind him; and, being quite
motionless, we concluded him to be stone-dead. On this the women
became entirely helpless, screaming only, and wringing their hands in
extravagant postures. But I, having a little more presence of mind,
called for the calentar;** who, by holding his nose, pinching his feet,
and other applications, in a little time brought him to his senses
again.
* A bed or couch covered with a sort of cotton.
** A sort of doctor in all great families.
"You may more easily conceive than I describe, both the confusion we
were all in during my father's disorder, and the congratulations upon
his recovery; so, as I can give you but a defective account of these,
I shall pass them by, and come to our more serious discourse, after my
father and your wife had, without speaking a word, wept themselves quite
dry on each other's necks.
"My father, then looking upon the three children (who were also crying
to see their mamma cry), 'And who are these?' says he.--'These, sir,'
says Youwarkee, 'are three of eight of your grandchildren.'--'And where
is your barkett?' says he. 'At home with the rest, sir,' replied she,
'who are some of them too small to come so far yet; but, sir,' says she,
'pray excuse my answering you any more questions, till you are a little
recovered from the commotion I perceive my presence has brought upon
your spirits; and as rest, the calentar says, will be exceedingly
proper, I will retire with my sister till you are better able to bear
company.' My father was with much difficulty prevailed with to part
with her out of his sight: but the calentar pressing it, we were all
dismissed, and he laid down to rest."
My brother would have gone on, but I told him, as it grew near time for
repose, and he and Rosig must needs be fatigued with so long a flight,
if they pleased (as I had already heard the most valuable part of all
he could say, in that my father had received my wife and children so
kindly, and that he left them all well) we could defer his farther
relation till the next day; which they both agreeing to, I laid them in
my own bed, myself sleeping in a spare hammock.
END OF VOL. I.
PRINTED BY BALLANTYNE, HANSON AND CO. EDINBURGH AND LONDON.