The scene in the parlour of Grippy, after the inquiry, was of the most
solemn and lugubrious description.--The Leddy sat in the great chair,
at the fireside, in all the pomp of woe, wiping her eyes, and, ever
and anon, giving vent to the deepest soughs of sorrow. Mrs. Charles,
with her son leaning on her knee, occupied another chair, pensive
and anxious. George and Mr. Pitwinnoch sat at the table, taking an
inventory of the papers in the scrutoire, and Walter was playfully
tickling his adopted daughter on the green before the window, when
Mrs. Milrookit, with her husband, the Laird of Dirdumwhamle, came to
sympathize and condole with their friends, and to ascertain what would
be the pecuniary consequences of the decision to them.
‘Come awa, my dear,’ said the Leddy to her daughter, as she entered the
room;--‘Come awa and tak a seat beside me. Your poor brother, Watty,
has been weighed in the balance o’ the Sheriff, and found wanting; and
his vessels o’ gold and silver, as I may say in the words o’ Scripture,
are carried away into captivity; for I understand that George gets no
proper right to them, as I expeckit, but is obligated to keep them in
custody, in case Watty should hereafter come to years o’ discretion.
Hegh Meg! but this is a sair day for us a’--and for nane mair sae than
your afflicted gude-sister there and her twa bairns. She’ll be under
a needcessity to gang back and live again wi’ my mother, now in her
ninety-third year, and by course o’ nature drawing near to her latter
end.’
‘And what’s to become of you?’ replied Mrs. Milrookit.
‘O I’ll hae to bide here, to tak care o’ every thing; and an aliment
will be alloot to me for keeping poor Watty. Hegh Sirs! Wha would hae
thought it, that sic a fine lad as he ance was, and preferred by his
honest father as the best able to keep the property right, would thus
hae been, by decreet o’ court, proven a born idiot?’
‘But,’ interrupted Mrs. Milrookit, glancing compassionately towards her
sister-in-law, ‘I think, since so little change is to be made, that
ye might just as weel let Bell and her bairns bide wi’ you--for my
grandmother’s income is little enough for her ain wants, now that she’s
in a manner bedrid.’
‘It’s easy for you, Meg, to speak,’ replied her mother;--‘but if ye
had an experiment o’ the heavy handfu’ they hae been to me, ye would
hae mair compassion for your mother. It’s surely a dispensation sair
enough, to hae the grief and heart-breaking sight before my eyes of a
demented lad, that was so long a comfort to me in my widowhood. But
it’s the Lord’s will, and I maun bend the knee o’ resignation.’
‘Is’t your intent, Mr. George,’ said the Laird o’ Dirdumwhamle, ‘to mak
any division o’ what lying money there may hae been saved since your
father’s death?’
‘I suspect there will not be enough to defray the costs of the
process,’ replied George; ‘and if any balance should remain, the house
really stands so much in need of repair, that I am persuaded there will
not be a farthing left.’
‘’Deed,’ said the Leddy, ‘what he says, Mr. Milrookit, is oure true;
the house is in a frail condition, for it was like pu’ing the teeth out
o’ the head o’ Watty to get him to do what was needful.’
‘I think,’ replied the Laird o’ Dirdumwhamle, ‘that since ye hae
so soon come to the property, Mr. George, and no likelihood o’ any
molestation in the possession, that ye might let us a’ share and share
alike o’ the gethering, and be at the outlay o’ the repairs frae the
rental.’
To this suggestion Mr. George, however, replied, ‘It will be time
enough to consider that, when the law expenses are paid.’
‘They’ll be a heavy soom, Mr. Milrookit,’ said the Leddy; ‘weel do
I ken frae my father’s pleas what it is to pay law expenses. The
like o’ Mr. Pitwinnoch there, and Mr. Keelevin, are men o’ moderation
and commonality in their charges--but yon awfu’ folk wi’ the cloaks
o’ darkness and the wigs o’ wisdom frae Edinbro’--they are costly
commodities.--But now that we’re a’ met here, I think it would be just
as weel an we war to settle at ance what I’m to hae, as the judicious
curator o’ Watty--for, by course o’ law and nature, the aliment will
begin frae this day.’
‘Yes,’ replied George, ‘I think it will be just as well; and I’m
glad, mother, that you have mentioned it. What is your opinion, Mr.
Milrookit, as to the amount that she should have?’
‘All things considered,’ replied the Laird of Dirdumwhamle,
prospectively contemplating some chance of a reversionary interest to
his wife in the Leddy’s savings, ‘I think you ought not to make it less
than a hundred pounds a year.’
‘A hundred pounds a year!’ exclaimed the Leddy, ‘that’ll no buy saut to
his kail. I hope and expek no less than the whole half o’ the rents;
and they were last year weel on to four hunder.’
‘I think,’ said George to Mr. Pitwinnoch, ‘I would not be justified to
the Court were I to give any thing like that; but if you think I may, I
can have no objection to comply with my mother’s expectations.’
‘Oh, Mr. Walkinshaw,’ replied Gabriel, ‘you are no at a’ aware o’ your
responsibility,--you can do no such things. Your brother has been found
a _fatuus_, and, of course, entitled but to the plainest maintenance. I
think that you will hardly be permitted to allow his mother more than
fifty pounds; if, indeed, so much.’
‘Fifty pounds! fifty placks,’ cried the indignant Leddy. ‘I’ll let
baith you and the Sheriff ken I’m no to be frauded o’ my rights in that
gait. I’ll no faik a farthing o’ a hundred and fifty.’
‘In that case, I fear,’ said Gabriel, ‘Mr. George will be obliged to
seek another custodier for the _fatuus_, as assuredly, Mem, he’ll ne’er
be sanctioned to allow you any thing like that.’
‘If ye think sae,’ interposed Mrs. Milrookit, compassionating the
forlorn estate of her sister-in-law,--‘I dare say Mrs. Charles will be
content to take him at a very moderate rate.’
‘Megsty me!’ exclaimed the Leddy. ‘Hae I been buying a pig in a pock
like that? Is’t a possibility that he can be ta’en out o’ my hands,
and no reasonable allowance made to me at a’? Surely, Mr. Pitwinnoch,
surely, Geordie, this can never stand either by the laws of God or man.’
‘I can assure you, Mrs. Walkinshaw,’ replied the lawyer, ‘that fifty
pounds a-year is as much as I could venture to advise Mr. George to
give; and seeing it is sae, you had as well agree to it at once.’
‘I’ll never agree to ony such thing. I’ll gang intil Embro’ mysel, and
hae justice done me frae the Fifteen. I’ll this very night consult Mr.
Keelevin, who is a most just man, and o’ a right partiality.’
‘I hope, mother,’ said George, ‘that you and I will not cast out about
this; and to end all debates, if ye like, we’ll leave the aliment to be
settled by Mr. Pitwinnoch and Mr. Keelevin.’
‘Nothing can be fairer,’ observed the Laird of Dirdumwhamle, in the
hope Mr. Keelevin might be so wrought on as to insist that at least
a hundred should be allowed; and after some further altercation, the
Leddy grudgingly assented to this proposal.
‘But,’ said Mrs. Milrookit, ‘considering now the altered state of
Watty’s circumstances, I dinna discern how it is possible for my mother
to uphold this house and the farm.’
The Leddy looked a little aghast at this fearful intimation, while
George replied,--
‘I have reflected on that, Margaret, and I am quite of your opinion;
and, indeed, it is my intention, after the requisite repairs are done
to the house, to flit my family; for I am in hopes the change of air
will be advantageous to my wife’s health.’
The Leddy was thunderstruck, and unable to speak; but her eyes were
eloquent with indignation.
‘Perhaps, after all, it would be as well for our mother,’ continued
George, ‘to take up house at once in Glasgow; and as I mean to settle
an annuity of fifty pounds on Mrs. Charles, they could not do better
than all live together.’
All present but his mother applauded the liberality of George. To the
young widow the intelligence of such a settlement was as fresh air
to the captive; but before she could express her thankfulness, Leddy
Grippy started up, and gave a tremendous stamp with her foot. She then
resumed her seat, and appeared all at once calm and smiling; but it was
a calm betokening no tranquillity, and a smile expressive of as little
pleasure. In the course of a few seconds the hurricane burst forth,
and alternately, with sobs and supplications, menaces, and knocking of
nieves, and drumming with her feet, the hapless Leddy Grippy divulged
and expatiated on the plots and devices of George. But all was of no
avail--her destiny was sealed; and long before Messrs. Keelevin and
Pitwinnoch adjusted the amount of the allowance, which, after a great
struggle on the part of the former, was settled at seventy-five pounds,
she found herself under the painful necessity of taking a flat up a
turnpike stair in Glasgow, for herself and the _fatuus_.