The Heart of Mid-Lothian

saying. The words bills and renew had, however, an awakening sound in them; and she snatched the letter which her husband held towards her, and wiping her eyes, and putting on her spectacles, endeavoured, as fast as the dew which collected on her glasses would permit, to get at the meaning of the needful part of the epistle; while her husband, with pompous elevation, read an extract from the speech.

'I am no minister, I never was a minister, and I never will be one'

'I didna ken his Grace was ever designed for the ministry,' interrupted Mrs. Howden.

'He disna mean a minister of the gospel, Mrs. Howden, but a minister of state,' said Saddletree, with condescending goodness, and then proceeded: 'The time was when I might have been a piece of a minister, but I was too sensible of my own incapacity to engage in any state affair. And I thank God that I had always too great a value for those few abilities which Nature has given me, to employ them in doing any drudgery, or any job of what kind soever. I have, ever since I set out in the world (and I believe few have set out more early), served my prince with my tongue; I have served him with any little interest I had, and I have served him with my sword, and in my profession of arms. I have held employments which I have lost, and were I to be to-morrow deprived of those which still remain to me, and which I have endeavoured honestly to deserve, I would still serve him to the last acre of my inheritance, and to the last drop of my blood—'

Mrs. Saddletree here broke in upon the orator:—'Mr. Saddletree, what is the meaning of a' this? Here are ye clavering about the Duke of Argyle, and this man Martingale gaun to break on our hands, and lose us gude sixty pounds—I wonder what duke will pay that, quotha—I wish the Duke of Argyle would pay his ain accounts—He is in a thousand punds Scots on thae very books when he was last at Roystoun—I'm no saying but he's a just nobleman, and that it's gude siller—but it wad drive ane daft to be confused wi' deukes and drakes, and thae distressed folk up-stairs, that's Jeanie Deans and her father. And then, putting the very callant that was sewing the curpel out o' the shop, to play wi' blackguards in the close—Sit still, neighbours, it's no that I mean to disturb you; but what between courts o' law and courts o' state, and upper and under parliaments, and parliament houses, here and in London, the gudeman's gane clean gyte, I think.'

The gossips understood civility, and the rule of doing as they would be done by, too well, to tarry upon the slight invitation implied in the conclusion of this speech, and therefore made their farewells and departure as fast as possible, Saddletree whispering to Plundamas that he would 'meet him at MacCroskie's' (the low-browed shop in the Luckenbooths, already mentioned), 'in the hour of cause, and put MacCallummore's speech in his pocket, for a' the gudewife's din.'

When Mrs. Saddletree saw the house freed of her importunate visitors, and the little boy reclaimed from the pastimes of the wynd to the exercise of the awl, she went to visit her unhappy relative, David Deans, and his elder daughter, who had found in her house the nearest place of friendly refuge.

VOLUME II

CHAPTER FIRST.

Isab.—Alas! what poor ability's in me
To do him good?
Lucio.—Assay the power you have.

Measure for Measure.

When Mrs. Saddletree entered the apartment in which her guests had shrouded their misery, she found the window darkened. The feebleness which followed his long swoon had rendered it necessary to lay the old man in bed. The curtains were drawn around him, and Jeanie sate motionless by the side of the bed. Mrs. Saddletree was a woman of kindness, nay, of feeling, but not of delicacy. She opened the half-shut window, drew aside the curtain, and, taking her kinsman by the hand, exhorted him to sit up, and bear his sorrow like a good man, and a Christian man, as he was. But when she quitted his hand, it fell powerless by his side, nor did he attempt the least reply.

'Is all over?' asked Jeanie, with lips and cheeks as pale as ashes,—'and is there nae hope for her?'

'Nane, or next to nane,' said Mrs. Saddletree; 'I heard the Judge-carle say it with my ain ears—It was a burning shame to see sae mony o' them set up yonder in their red gowns and black gowns, and to take the life o' a bit senseless lassie. I had never muckle broo o' my gudeman's gossips, and now I like them waur than ever. The only wiselike thing I heard onybody say, was decent Mr. John Kirk of Kirk-knowe, and he wussed them just to get the king's mercy, and nae mair about it. But he spake to unreasonable folk—he might just hae keepit his breath to hae blawn on his porridge.'

'But can the king gie her mercy?' said Jeanie, earnestly. 'Some folk tell me he canna gie mercy in cases of mur in cases like hers.'

'Can he gie mercy, hinny?—I weel I wot he can, when he likes. There was young Singlesword, that stickit the Laird of Ballencleuch, and Captain Hackum, the Englishman, that killed Lady Colgrain's gudeman, and the Master of Saint Clair, that shot the twa Shaws,[42] and mony mair in my time—to be sure they were gentle blood, and had their kin to speak for them—And there was Jock Porteous the other day—I'se warrant there's mercy, an folk could win at it.'

'Porteous?' said Jeanie; 'very true—I forget a' that I suld maist mind.— Fare ye weel, Mrs. Saddletree; and may ye never want a friend in the hour of distress!'

'Will ye no stay wi' your father, Jeanie, bairn?—Ye had better,' said Mrs. Saddletree.

'I will be wanted ower yonder,' indicating the Tolbooth with her hand, 'and I maun leave him now, or I will never be able to leave him. I fearna for his life—I ken how strong-hearted he is—I ken it,' she said, laying her hand on her bosom, 'by my ain heart at this minute.'

'Weel, hinny, if ye think it's for the best, better he stay here and rest him, than gang back to St. Leonard's.'

'Muckle better—muckle better—God bless you!—God bless you!—At no rate let him gang till ye hear frae me,' said Jeanie.

'But ye'll be back belive?' said Mrs. Saddletree, detaining her; 'they winna let ye stay yonder, hinny.'

'But I maun gang to St. Leonard's—there's muckle to be dune, and little time to do it in—And I have friends to speak to—God bless you—take care of my father.'

She had reached the door of the apartment, when, suddenly turning, she came back, and knelt down by the bedside.—'O father, gie me your blessing—I dare not go till ye bless me. Say but 'God bless ye, and prosper ye, Jeanie'—try but to say that!'

Instinctively, rather than by an exertion of intellect, the old man murmured a prayer, that 'purchased and promised blessings might be multiplied upon her.'

'He has blessed mine errand,' said his daughter, rising from her knees, 'and it is borne in upon my mind that I shall prosper.'

So saying, she left the room.

Mrs. Saddletree looked after her, and shook her head. 'I wish she binna roving, poor thing—There's something queer about a' thae Deanses. I dinna like folk to be sae muckle better than other folk—seldom comes gude o't. But if she's gaun to look after the kye at St. Leonard's, that's another story; to be sure they maun be