Page:Guy Mannering Vol 3.djvu/150

140 . "This seems to be some jest," he said, "and a very dull one."

"It came from no jesting person," said Mr. Sampson.

"From whom then did it come?"

The Dominie, who often displayed some delicacy of recollection in cases where Miss Bertram had an interest, recollected the painful circumstances connected with Meg Merrilies, looked at the young ladies, and remained silent. "We will join you at the tea-table in an instant, Julia; I see that Mr. Sampson wishes to speak to me alone.—And now they are gone, what, in Heaven's name, is the meaning of this?"

"It may be a message from Heaven," said the Dominie, "but it came by Beelzebub's postmistress. It was that witch, Meg Merrilies, who should have been burned with a tar-barrel twenty years since, for a harlot, thief, witch, and gypsey."

"Are you sure it was she?" said the Colonel with great interest.