(1) My old Lord Durrisdeer.
(2) The Master of Ballantrae, _and_
(3) Henry Durie, _his sons_.
(4) Clementina, _engaged to the first, married to
the second_.
(5) Ephraim Mackellar, _land steward at Durrisdeer
and narrator of the most of the book_.
(6) Francis Burke, Chevalier de St. Louis, _one of
the Prince Charlie's Irishmen and narrator of the
rest_.
Besides these many instant figures, most of them dumb or
nearly so: Jessie Brown, the whore, Captain Crail, Captain
McCombie, our old friend Alan Breck, our old friend Riach
(both only for an instant), Teach the pirate (vulgarly
Blackbeard), John Paul and Macconochie, servants at
Durrisdeer. The date is from 1745 to '65 (about). The scene
near Kirkcudbright, in the States, and for a little moment
in the French East Indies. I have done most of the big work,
the quarrel, duel between the brothers, and announcement of
the death to Clementina and my Lord—Clementina, Henry, and
Mackellar (nicknamed Squaretoes) are really very fine fellows;
the Master is all I know of the devil; I have known hints
of him, in the world, but always cowards: he is as bold as
a lion, but with the same deadly, causeless duplicity I have
watched with so much surprise in my two cowards. 'Tis true,
I saw a hint of the same nature in another man who was not a
coward; but he had other things to attend to; the Master has
nothing else but his devilry. Here come my visitors ... and
have now gone, or the first relay of them; and I hope no more
may come. For mark you, sir, this is our 'day'—Saturday, as
ever was; and here we sit, my mother and I, before a large
wood fire and await the enemy with the most steadfast courage;
and without snow and greyness: and the woman Fanny in New
York, for her health which is far from good; and the lad
Lloyd at the inn in the village because he has a cold; and the
handmaid Valentine abroad in a sleigh upon her messages; and
to-morrow Christmas and no mistake. Such is human life: _la
carrière humaine_. I will enclose, if I remember, the required
autograph.
I will do better, put it on the back of this page. Love
to all, and mostly, my very dear Colvin, to yourself. For
whatever I say or do, or don't say or do, you may be very sure
I am,—Yours always affectionately,