Page:Walter Scott - The Monastery (Henry Frowde, 1912).djvu/140

RV 72 (Rh) her hands—so the bairns were frighted to see a strange woman sitting there, all but Halbert, who will be sixteen come Whitsuntide; and, besides, he never feared onything—and when they went up to her—behold she was passed away!'

'For shame, good woman!' said Father Eustace; 'a woman of your sense to listen to a tale so idle! the young folk told you a lie, and that was all.'

'Nay, sir, it was more than that,' said the old dame; 'for, besides that they never told me a lie in their lives, I must warn you that on the very ground where the White Woman was sitting, they found the Lady of Avenel's book, and brought it with them to the tower.'

'That is worthy of mark at least,' said the monk. 'Know you no other copy of this volume within these bounds?'

'None, your reverence,' returned Elspeth; 'why should there? no one could read it were there twenty.'

'Then you are sure it is the very same volume which you gave to Father Philip?' said the monk.

'As sure as that I now speak with your reverence.'

'It is most singular!' said the monk; and he walked across the room in a musing posture.

'I have been upon nettles to hear what your reverence would say,' continued Dame Glendinning, 'respecting this matter. There is nothing I would not do for the Lady of Avenel and her family, and that has been proved, and for her servants to boot, both Martin and Tibb, although Tibb is not so civil sometimes as altogether I have a right to expect; but I cannot think it beseeming to have angels, or ghosts, or fairies, or the like, waiting upon a leddy when she is in another woman's house, in respect it is no ways creditable. Onything she had to do was always done to her hand, without costing her either pains or pence, as a country body says; and besides the discredit, I cannot but think that there is no safety in having such unchancy creatures about ane. But I have tied red thread round the bairns's throats' (so her fondness still called them) 'and given ilk ane of them a riding-wand of rowan-tree, forby sewing up a slip of witch-elm into their doublets; and I wish to know of your reverence if there be onything mair that a lone woman can do in the matter of ghosts and