Page:Scott - Tales of my Landlord - 3rd series, vol. 4 - 1819.djvu/57

 quires I should send this officer onward to Inverara, without loss of time."

"Yet, surely, not that you should accompany him in person," enquired the lady.

"It were better I did," said Sir Duncan; "yet I can write to the Marquis, and follow on the subsequent day.—Captain Dalgetty, I will dispatch a letter for you, explaining to the Marquis of Argyle your character and commission, with which you will please to prepare to travel to Inverara, early to-morrow morning."

"Sir Duncan Campbell," said Dalgetty, "I am doubtless at your discretionary disposal in this matter; not the less, I pray you to remember the blot which will fall upon your own escutcheon, if you do in any ways suffer me, being a commissionate flag of truce, to be circumvented in this matter, whether clam, vi, vel precario; I do not say by your assent to any wrong done to me, but even through absence of any due care on your part to prevent the same."