Page:Walter Scott - The Monastery (Henry Frowde, 1912).djvu/196

RV 128 (Rh) yet, moreover, there comes no churl's blood from Glendinning or Brydone; for, says Edward'

The hoarse voice of the miller at this moment recalled the dame from her reverie, and compelled her to remember that if she meant to realize her airy castle she must begin by laying the foundation in civility to her guest and his daughter, whom she was at that moment most strangely neglecting, though her whole plan turned on conciliating their favour and good opinion, and that, in fact, while arranging matters for so intimate a union with her company, she was suffering them to sit unnoticed, and in their riding gear, as if about to resume their journey. 'And so I say, dame,' concluded the miller (for she had not marked the beginning of his speech), 'an ye be so busied with your housekep, or aught else, why, Mysie and I will trot our way down the glen again to Johnnie Broxmouth's, who pressed us right kindly to bide with him.'

Starting at once from her dream of marriages and intermarriages, mills, mill-lands, and baronies, Dame Elspeth felt for a moment like the milkmaid in the fable, when she overset the pitcher, on the contents of which so many golden dreams were founded. But the foundation of Dame Glendinning's hopes was only tottering, not overthrown, and she hastened to restore its equilibrium. Instead of attempting to account for her absence of mind and want of attention to her guests, which she might have found something difficult, she assumed the offensive, like an able general when he finds it necessary, by a bold attack, to disguise his weakness.

A loud exclamation she made, and a passionate complaint she set up against the unkindness of her old friend, who could for an instant doubt the heartiness of her welcome to him and to his hopeful daughter; and then to think of his going back to John Broxmouth's, when the auld tower stood where it did, and had room in it for a friend or two in the worst of times; and he too a neighbour that his umquhile gossip Simon, blessed be his cast, used to think the best friend he had in the halidome! And on she went, urging her complaint with so much seriousness, that she had wellnigh imposed on herself as well as upon Hob Miller, who had no mind to take anything in dudgeon;