The Master of Ballantrae: A Winter's Tale

f the house; and there does not live one man so able as myself to make these matters plain, or so desirous to narrate them faithfully. I knew the Master; on many secret steps of his career I have

of him. Altogether, I think it not fit that so much evidence should perish; the truth is a debt I owe my lord's memory

ong family in the south-west from the days of Davi

k are the

wi' over m

rt attributes to Thomas of Ercildoune himself-I cannot say how truly, and which som

es in Du

e and ane

ay for t

r day for

the family suffered its full share of those ups and downs to which the great houses of Scotland have been ever lia

and his partners in mischief were usually alone to pay the piper. This luck or dexterity got him several ill-wishers, but with the rest of the country, enhanced his reputation; so that great things were looked for in his future, when he should have gained more gravity. One very black mark he had to his name; but the matter was hushed up at the time, and so defaced by legends before I came into those parts, that I scruple to set it down. If it was true, it was a horrid fact in one so young; and if false, it was a horrid calumny. I think it notable that he had always vaunted himself quite implacable, and was taken at his word; so that he had the addition among his neighbours of "an ill man to cross." Here was altogether a young nobleman (not yet twenty-four in the year '45) who had made a figure in the country beyond his time of life. The less marvel if there were little heard of the second son, Mr. Henry (my late Lord Durrisdeer), who was neither very bad nor yet very able, but an honest, solid sort of lad like many of his neighbours. Little hear

e house, and not less by the hope of paying off his private liabilities, which were heavy beyond all opinion. As for Mr. Henry, it appears he said little enough at first; his part came later on. It took the three a whole day's disputation, before they agreed to steer a middle course, one son going forth to strike a blow for King James, my lord and the other staying at home to keep in favour with King George. Doubtless this w

sdeer that should ride by his K

Henry, "there might be sense in such talk.

use of Durrisdeer, He

, it will be easy to make your peace with King James. But if you go, and the

r," said the Master. "I put

endure. I shall be neither fish nor flesh!" he cried. And a little after he had another expression, plainer perhaps

vy! Would you trip up my heels-Jacob?" sai

the hall without reply; for he had an excell

And my lord here in the master, and he says

are only two ways out: Blows-and I think none of us could care to go so far; or the ar

it," said Mr. Henry. "He

l shield. "So there is a less

of this," says Mr. Henry,

ch had just sent her lover to the wars, and flung it cle

as I love you, you woul

r, so well, loved I not hon

e you may be killed!" and she ran from th

ith his most comical manner, and says h

u were born; no, never one good hour," and repeated it again the third time. Whether it was the Master's levity, or his insubordination, or Mr. Henry's word about the favourite

ockade in every hat. It was a desperate venture for so small a company to cross the most of Scotland unsupported; and (what made folk think so the more) even as that poor dozen was clattering up the hill, a great ship of the king's navy, that could have brought them under with a single boat, lay with her broad ensign streaming in the bay. The next afternoon, having given the

e letter (so Macconochie tells), opened it, glanced it through with a mouth like a man whistling, and stuck it in his belt, whence, on his horse passageing, it fell unregarded to the ground. It was Macconochie who picked it up; and he still kept it, and indeed I have seen it in his hands. News came to Durrisdeer of course, by the common report, as it goes travelling through a country, a thing always wonderful to me. By that means the family learned more of the Master's favour with the Prince, and the ground it was said to stand on: for by a strange condescension in a man so proud-only that he was a man still more ambitious-he was said to have crept into nota

t very morning found the guinea piece-which was the root of all the evil-sticking in a holly bush; they had been "up the gait," as the servants say at Durrisdeer, to the change-house; and if they had little left of the guinea, they h

nry carrying his palm to his face, and Miss Alison laying her

And, Henry, I will do you this jus

iss Alison could let pass. She broke out and blamed my lord for his unnatural words, and Mr. Henry because he was sitting there in safety when his brother lay dead, and herself because she had g

stood holding his chair. It w

t suddenly, "I kn

nd then to Mr. Henry: "There is none but me to know o

he, "it was lost l

that became the old gentleman very well. If she wept, he would condole with her like an ancient man that has seen worse times and begins to think lightly even of sorrow; if she raged, he would fall to reading again in his Latin book, but always with some civil excuse; if she offered, as she often did, to let them have her money in a gift, he would show her how little it consisted with his honour, and remind her, even if he should consent, that Mr. Henry would certainly refuse. Non vi

ed at every turn and by every officer they had; they had been betrayed at Derby, and betrayed at Falkirk; the night march was a step of treachery of my Lord George's; and Culloden was lost by the treachery of the Macdonalds. This habit of imputing treason grew upon the fool, till at last he must have in Mr. Henry also. Mr. Henry (by his account) had betrayed the lads of Durrisdeer; he had promised to fo

ns began to murmur as he went by, and the women (who are always the most bold because they are the most safe) to cry out their reproaches to his face. The Master was cried up for a saint. It was remembered how he had never any hand in pressing the tenants; as, indeed, no more he had, except to spend the money. He was a little wild perhaps, the folk said; bu

ie lad that trust

wing from his lip. "Ay, Jess?" says he. "You too? And yet ye sho

ade as if she would cast; and he, to ward hims

ugly-?" cries she, and ran away sc

keep the house like my lord. All this while, you may be very sure, he uttered no complaints at home; the very ground of the scandal was too sore a matter to be handled; and Mr. Henry was very proud and strangely obstinate in silence. My old lord must have heard of it, by

Swift; some grievance was fermenting, I forget what, if ever I heard; and it was currently said there would be broken heads ere night, and that the sheriff had sent as far as Dumfries for soldiers. My

y; and when they had pushed him further, "I tell you

he house that ever said

he first time in four years-a sore business John Paul had to get them on), and

t that, for my old lord's sake, and Miss Alison's. It took not ten minutes to persuade my lord that Mr. Henry had been right. He said never a word, but turned his horse about, and home again, with his chin upon his bosom. Never a word said Miss Alison; no doubt she thought the more; no doubt her pride was

." To himself she had a different speech: "I bring you n

at first saw me alighting at the doors of the great house; and from there I take up th