Page:010 Once a week Volume X Dec 1863 to Jun 64.pdf/281

27, 1864.] Gin I war at thine ingle neuk,

An' we twa war at our daffin',

I'd swear upon the printed beuk,

To be thy man for a' their laughin'.

Ca' me in, ma bonny woman,

Ca' me in, ma lassie kind,

An' a'll change ma state wi' nae man,

Happy i' contented mind.

Ca' me in, ma ain kind dearie,

For, oh! the night is lour an' dreary,

An wi' thy smile sae bright an' cheery,

Warm this heart that's cauld an' weary.

Ca' me in, ma denty dearie,

Ca' me in, an' steek the yett,

For 'tis heaven to be neare thee:

Ca' me in, my ain kind pet.

But Maggie, in the present instance, continued unmoved; whether, however, she relented at length, I am not in a condition to say, for I fell into a sound sleep, and only woke about seven in the morning, the sun shining brightly in at the window, birds singing, and all nature wearing a bright and joyous aspect; in strong contrast to the darkness and disorder of the preceding night. I was soon up, and after a plentiful application of cold water, dressed quickly, and went forth to reconnoitre.

At the back of the house I found mine host, who invited me to view a fine horse he had brought from Newcastleton the preceding night; and led me accordingly to the stable below, where I was introduced to a great black stallion, which I at once perceived must have been the stamper and chain-clanker of last night. But I was still puzzled how to account for the hideous outcries which had accompanied these demonstrations, and appealed to the landlord for an explanation.

"Lor bless ye!" he replied, "that wad just be naebody but auld Maartie ye heard, gullerin' an scumfishin' in's sleep. Od, man, but it's an ugsome thing to hear til him at unco times, and to see him feghtin', and warstlin', an thrawin', wi' the een of him just startin' oot o' him. He hasna forgottin' Haribee Hill, I'se warrant ye."

This latter observation was accompanied by a roguish leer and a chuckle, as if my landlord enjoyed the remembrance of the little farce that had been played off upon me on the night previous; and this demonstration was echoed by the series of guggles, gasps, and wheezing, which constituted the ostler Martin's peculiar style of joculation, from a dark corner of the stable, where that ancient retainer of the "Rising Sun" was smoking the pipe of repose.

And now the buxom Maggie appeared to inform me that my breakfast waited, and I was conducted into a little room apart from the kitchen, and there I found an abundance of collops, eggs, and tea; Maggie only remaining to express her regret that they were quite out of vinegar to sauce the bacon, but there was a goudy peg-cheese and some barley-meal bannocks. However, as I did not deem vinegar an indispensable accessory to fried bacon, I made a hearty meal, and presently found myself in condition for a rough ride, the chase of the long-legged hill fox, digging out a badger, spearing an otter, or any rude border sport which circumstances might suggest. 2em

made his way slowly down through the thick wood, towards the monastery, heedless of his steps, and heedless of everything save the dull dead sense of overwhelming misery, which made everything else indifferent to him. Thus descending the steep hill-side, mainly because it was mechanically easier than to ascend, he came to the top of the precipice, immediately overhanging the buildings of the monastery, and had nearly fallen over. But he saved himself with the instinct of self-preservation, by catching hold of the slender stem of a young chestnut; and smiling bitterly the next moment at the thought that it would have been better for him to have fallen, he made his way down to the spot where the wall of rock, which hedged round the little territory of the friars, completing its semicircle, fell to the brink of the stream. There, at the extreme verge of the damp and mournful-looking meadow, he seated himself on the trunk of a fallen tree, and set to work, if possible, to think.