Page:Guy Mannering Vol 3.djvu/46

36 and played a simple melody. Apparently the tune awoke the corresponding associations of a damsel, who at a fine spring about halfway down the descent, and which had once supplied the castle with water, was engaged in bleaching linen. She immediately took up the song:

"By heaven," said Bertram, "it is the very ballad! I must learn these words from the girl."

"Confusion!" thought Glossin, "if I cannot put a stop to this, all will be out. O the devil take all ballads and ballad-makers, and ballad-singers; and that d—ddamned [sic] jade too, to set up her pipe!—You will have time enough for this upon some other occasion," he said aloud; "at present"—(for now he saw his emissary with two or three men coming up the bank,) "at