CHAPTER SIXTEEN.
And when he came to broken brigg, He bent his bow and swam; And when he came to grass growing, Set down his feet and ran. Gil Morrice.
The echoes of the rocks and ravines, on either side, now rang to thetrumpets of the cavalry, which, forming themselves into two distinctbodies, began to move down the valley at a slow trot. That commanded byMajor Galbraith soon took to the right hand, and crossed the Forth, forthe purpose of taking up the quarters assigned them for the night, whenthey were to occupy, as I understood, an old castle in the vicinity. Theyformed a lively object while crossing the stream, but were soon lost inwinding up the bank on the opposite side, which was clothed with wood.
We continued our march with considerable good order. To ensure the safecustody of the prisoner, the Duke had caused him to be placed onhorseback behind one of his retainers, called, as I was informed, Ewan ofBrigglands, one of the largest and strongest men who were present. Ahorse-belt, passed round the bodies of both, and buckled before theyeoman's breast, rendered it impossible for Rob Roy to free himself fromhis keeper. I was directed to keep close beside them, and accommodatedfor the purpose with a troop-horse. We were as closely surrounded by thesoldiers as the width of the road would permit, and had always at leastone, if not two, on each side, with pistol in hand. Andrew Fairservice,furnished with a Highland pony, of which they had made prey somewhere orother, was permitted to ride among the other domestics, of whom a greatnumber attended the line of march, though without falling into the ranksof the more regularly trained troopers.
In this manner we travelled for a certain distance, until we arrived at aplace where we also were to cross the river. The Forth, as being theoutlet of a lake, is of considerable depth, even where less important inpoint of width, and the descent to the ford was by a broken precipitousravine, which only permitted one horseman to descend at once. The rearand centre of our small body halting on the bank while the front filespassed down in succession, produced a considerable delay, as is usual onsuch occasions, and even some confusion; for a number of those riders,who made no proper part of the squadron, crowded to the ford withoutregularity, and made the militia cavalry, although tolerably welldrilled, partake in some degree of their own disorder.
Escape of Rob Roy at the Ford--232]
It was while we were thus huddled together on the bank that I heard RobRoy whisper to the man behind whom he was placed on horseback, "Yourfather, Ewan, wadna hae carried an auld friend to the shambles, like acalf, for a' the Dukes in Christendom."
Ewan returned no answer, but shrugged, as one who would express by thatsign that what he was doing was none of his own choice.
"And when the MacGregors come down the glen, and ye see toom faulds, abluidy hearthstone, and the fire flashing out between the rafters o' yourhouse, ye may be thinking then, Ewan, that were your friend Rob to thefore, you would have had that safe which it will make your heart sair tolose."
Ewan of Brigglands again shrugged and groaned, but remained silent.
"It's a sair thing," continued Rob, sliding his insinuations so gentlyinto Ewan's ear that they reached no other but mine, who certainly sawmyself in no shape called upon to destroy his prospects of escape--"It'sa sair thing, that Ewan of Brigglands, whom Roy MacGregor has helped withhand, sword, and purse, suld mind a gloom from a great man mair than afriend's life."
Ewan seemed sorely agitated, but was silent.--We heard the Duke's voicefrom the opposite bank call, "Bring over the prisoner."
Ewan put his horse in motion, and just as I heard Roy say, "Never weigh aMacGregor's bluid against a broken whang o' leather, for there will beanother accounting to gie for it baith here and hereafter," they passedme hastily, and dashing forward rather precipitately, entered the water.
"Not yet, sir--not yet," said some of the troopers to me, as I was aboutto follow, while others pressed forward into the stream.
I saw the Duke on the other side, by the waning light, engaged incommanding his people to get into order, as they landed dispersedly, somehigher, some lower. Many had crossed, some were in the water, and therest were preparing to follow, when a sudden splash warned me thatMacGregor's eloquence had prevailed on Ewan to give him freedom and achance for life. The Duke also heard the sound, and instantly guessed itsmeaning. "Dog!" he exclaimed to Ewan as he landed, "where is yourprisoner?" and, without waiting to hear the apology which the terrifiedvassal began to falter forth, he fired a pistol at his head, whetherfatally I know not, and exclaimed, "Gentlemen, disperse and pursue thevillain--An hundred guineas for him that secures Rob Roy!"
All became an instant scene of the most lively confusion. Rob Roy,disengaged from his bonds, doubtless by Ewan's slipping the buckle of hisbelt, had dropped off at the horse's tail, and instantly dived, passingunder the belly of the troop-horse which was on his left hand. But as hewas obliged to come to the surface an instant for air, the glimpse of histartan plaid drew the attention of the troopers, some of whom plungedinto the river, with a total disregard to their own safety, rushing,according to the expression of their country, through pool and stream,sometimes swimming their horses, sometimes losing them and struggling fortheir own lives. Others, less zealous or more prudent, broke off indifferent directions, and galloped up and down the banks, to watch theplaces at which the fugitive might possibly land. The hollowing, thewhooping, the calls for aid at different points, where they saw, orconceived they saw, some vestige of him they were seeking,--the frequentreport of pistols and carabines, fired at every object which excited theleast suspicion,--the sight of so many horsemen riding about, in and outof the river, and striking with their long broadswords at whateverexcited their attention, joined to the vain exertions used by theirofficers to restore order and regularity,--and all this in so wild ascene, and visible only by the imperfect twilight of an autumn evening,made the most extraordinary hubbub I had hitherto witnessed. I was indeedleft alone to observe it, for our whole cavalcade had dispersed inpursuit, or at least to see the event of the search. Indeed, as I partlysuspected at the time, and afterwards learned with certainty, many ofthose who seemed most active in their attempts to waylay and recover thefugitive, were, in actual truth, least desirous that he should be taken,and only joined in the cry to increase the general confusion, and to giveRob Roy a better opportunity of escaping.
Escape, indeed, was not difficult for a swimmer so expert as thefreebooter, as soon as he had eluded the first burst of pursuit. At onetime he was closely pressed, and several blows were made which flashed inthe water around him; the scene much resembling one of the otter-huntswhich I had seen at Osbaldistone Hall, where the animal is detected bythe hounds from his being necessitated to put his nose above the streamto vent or breathe, while he is enabled to elude them by getting underwater again so soon as he has refreshed himself by respiration.MacGregor, however, had a trick beyond the otter; for he contrived, whenvery closely pursued, to disengage himself unobserved from his plaid, andsuffer it to float down the stream, where in its progress it quicklyattracted general attention; many of the horsemen were thus put upon afalse scent, and several shots or stabs were averted from the party forwhom they were designed.
Once fairly out of view, the recovery of the prisoner became almostimpossible, since, in so many places, the river was rendered inaccessibleby the steepness of its banks, or the thickets of alders, poplars, andbirch, which, overhanging its banks, prevented the approach of horsemen.Errors and accidents had also happened among the pursuers, whose task theapproaching night rendered every moment more hopeless. Some gotthemselves involved in the eddies of the stream, and required theassistance of their companions to save them from drowning. Others, hurtby shots or blows in the confused mele'e, implored help or threatenedvengeance, and in one or two instances such accidents led to actualstrife. The trumpets, therefore, sounded the retreat, announcing that thecommanding officer, with whatsoever unwillingness, ha
d for the presentrelinquished hopes of the important prize which had thus unexpectedlyescaped his grasp, and the troopers began slowly, reluctantly, andbrawling with each other as they returned, again to assume their ranks. Icould see them darkening, as they formed on the southern bank of theriver,--whose murmurs, long drowned by the louder cries of vengefulpursuit, were now heard hoarsely mingling with the deep, discontented,and reproachful voices of the disappointed horsemen.
Hitherto I had been as it were a mere spectator, though far from anuninterested one, of the singular scene which had passed. But now I hearda voice suddenly exclaim, "Where is the English stranger?--It was he gaveRob Roy the knife to cut the belt."
"Cleeve the pock-pudding to the chafts!" cried one voice.
"Weize a brace of balls through his harn-pan!" said a second.
"Drive three inches of cauld airn into his brisket!" shouted a third.
And I heard several horses galloping to and fro, with the kind purpose,doubtless, of executing these denunciations. I was immediately awakenedto the sense of my situation, and to the certainty that armed men, havingno restraint whatever on their irritated and inflamed passions, wouldprobably begin by shooting or cutting me down, and afterwards investigatethe justice of the action. Impressed by this belief, I leaped from myhorse, and turning him loose, plunged into a bush of alder-trees, where,considering the advancing obscurity of the night, I thought there waslittle chance of my being discovered. Had I been near enough to the Duketo have invoked his personal protection, I would have done so; but he hadalready commenced his retreat, and I saw no officer on the left bank ofthe river, of authority sufficient to have afforded protection, in caseof my surrendering myself. I thought there was no point of honour whichcould require, in such circumstances, an unnecessary exposure of my life.My first idea, when the tumult began to be appeased, and the clatter ofthe horses' feet was heard less frequently in the immediate vicinity ofmy hiding-place, was to seek out the Duke's quarters when all should bequiet, and give myself up to him, as a liege subject, who had nothing tofear from his justice, and a stranger, who had every right to expectprotection and hospitality. With this purpose I crept out of myhiding-place, and looked around me.
The twilight had now melted nearly into darkness; a few or none of thetroopers were left on my side of the Forth, and of those who were alreadyacross it, I only heard the distant trample of the horses' feet, and thewailing and prolonged sound of their trumpets, which rung through thewoods to recall stragglers. Here, therefore, I was left in a situation ofconsiderable difficulty. I had no horse, and the deep and wheeling streamof the river, rendered turbid by the late tumult of which its channel hadbeen the scene, and seeming yet more so under the doubtful influence ofan imperfect moonlight, had no inviting influence for a pedestrian by nomeans accustomed to wade rivers, and who had lately seen horsemenweltering, in this dangerous passage, up to the very saddle-laps. At thesame time, my prospect, if I remained on the side of the river on which Ithen stood, could be no other than of concluding the various fatigues ofthis day and the preceding night, by passing that which was now closingin, _al fresco_ on the side of a Highland hill.
After a moment's reflection, I began to consider that Fairservice, whohad doubtless crossed the river with the other domestics, according tohis forward and impertinent custom of putting himself always among theforemost, could not fail to satisfy the Duke, or the competentauthorities, respecting my rank and situation; and that, therefore, mycharacter did not require my immediate appearance, at the risk of beingdrowned in the river--of being unable to trace the march of the squadronin case of my reaching the other side in safety--or, finally, of beingcut down, right or wrong, by some straggler, who might think such a pieceof good service a convenient excuse for not sooner rejoining his ranks. Itherefore resolved to measure my steps back to the little inn, where Ihad passed the preceding night. I had nothing to apprehend from Rob Roy.He was now at liberty, and I was certain, in case of my falling in withany of his people, the news of his escape would ensure me protection. Imight thus also show, that I had no intention to desert Mr. Jarvie in thedelicate situation in which he had engaged himself chiefly on my account.And lastly, it was only in this quarter that I could hope to learntidings concerning Rashleigh and my father's papers, which had been theoriginal cause of an expedition so fraught with perilous adventure. Itherefore abandoned all thoughts of crossing the Forth that evening; and,turning my back on the Fords of Frew, began to retrace my steps towardsthe little village of Aberfoil.
A sharp frost-wind, which made itself heard and felt from time to time,removed the clouds of mist which might otherwise have slumbered tillmorning on the valley; and, though it could not totally disperse theclouds of vapour, yet threw them in confused and changeful masses, nowhovering round the heads of the mountains, now filling, as with a denseand voluminous stream of smoke, the various deep gullies where masses ofthe composite rock, or breccia, tumbling in fragments from the cliffs,have rushed to the valley, leaving each behind its course a rent and tornravine resembling a deserted water-course. The moon, which was now high,and twinkled with all the vivacity of a frosty atmosphere, silvered thewindings of the river and the peaks and precipices which the mist leftvisible, while her beams seemed as it were absorbed by the fleecywhiteness of the mist, where it lay thick and condensed; and gave to themore light and vapoury specks, which were elsewhere visible, a sort offilmy transparency resembling the lightest veil of silver gauze. Despitethe uncertainty of my situation, a view so romantic, joined to the activeand inspiring influence of the frosty atmosphere, elevated my spiritswhile it braced my nerves. I felt an inclination to cast care away, andbid defiance to danger, and involuntarily whistled, by way of cadence tomy steps, which my feeling of the cold led me to accelerate, and I feltthe pulse of existence beat prouder and higher in proportion as I feltconfidence in my own strength, courage, and resources. I was so much lostin these thoughts, and in the feelings which they excited, that twohorsemen came up behind me without my hearing their approach, until onewas on each side of me, when the left-hand rider, pulling up his horse,addressed me in the English tongue--"So ho, friend! whither so late?"
"To my supper and bed at Aberfoil," I replied.
"Are the passes open?" he inquired, with the same commanding tone ofvoice.
"I do not know," I replied; "I shall learn when I get there. But," Iadded, the fate of Morris recurring to my recollection, "if you are anEnglish stranger, I advise you to turn back till daylight; there has beensome disturbance in this neighbourhood, and I should hesitate to say itis perfectly safe for strangers."
"The soldiers had the worst?--had they not?" was the reply.
"They had indeed; and an officer's party were destroyed or madeprisoners."
"Are you sure of that?" replied the horseman.
"As sure as that I hear you speak," I replied. "I was an unwillingspectator of the skirmish."
"Unwilling!" continued the interrogator. "Were you not engaged in itthen?"
"Certainly no," I replied; "I was detained by the king's officer."
"On what suspicion? and who are you? or what is your name?" he continued.
"I really do not know, sir," said I, "why I should answer so manyquestions to an unknown stranger. I have told you enough to convince youthat you are going into a dangerous and distracted country. If you chooseto proceed, it is your own affair; but as I ask you no questionsrespecting your name and business, you will oblige me by making noinquiries after mine."
"Mr. Francis Osbaldistone," said the other rider, in a voice the tones ofwhich thrilled through every nerve of my body, "should not whistle hisfavourite airs when he wishes to remain undiscovered."
And Diana Vernon--for she, wrapped in a horseman's cloak, was the lastspeaker--whistled in playful mimicry the second part of the tune whichwas on my lips when they came up.
"Good God!" I exclaimed, like one thunderstruck, "can it be you, MissVernon, on such a spot--at such an hour--in such a lawless country--insuch"--
br /> "In such a masculine dress, you would say.--But what would you have? Thephilosophy of the excellent Corporal Nym is the best after all; thingsmust be as they may--_pauca verba._"
While she was thus speaking, I eagerly took advantage of an unusuallybright gleam of moonshine, to study the appearance of her companion; forit may be easily supposed, that finding Miss Vernon in a place sosolitary, engaged in a journey so dangerous, and under the protection ofone gentleman only, were circumstances to excite every feeling ofjealousy, as well as surprise. The rider did not speak with the deepmelody of Rashleigh's voice; his tones were more high and commanding; hewas taller, moreover, as he sate on horseback, than that first-rateobject of my hate and suspicion. Neither did the stranger's addressresemble that of any of my other cousins; it had that indescribable toneand manner by which we recognise a man of sense and breeding, even in thefirst few sentences he speaks.
The object of my anxiety seemed desirous to get rid of my investigation.
"Diana," he said, in a tone of mingled kindness and authority, "give yourcousin his property, and let us not spend time here."
Miss Vernon had in the meantime taken out a small case, and leaning downfrom her horse towards me, she said, in a tone in which an effort at herusual quaint lightness of expression contended with a deeper and moregrave tone of sentiment, "You see, my dear coz, I was born to be yourbetter angel. Rashleigh has been compelled to yield up his spoil, and hadwe reached this same village of Aberfoil last night, as we purposed, Ishould have found some Highland sylph to have wafted to you all theserepresentatives of commercial wealth. But there were giants and dragonsin the way; and errant-knights and damsels of modern times, bold thoughthey be, must not, as of yore, run into useless danger--Do not you do soeither, my dear coz."
"Diana," said her companion, "let me once more warn you that the eveningwaxes late, and we are still distant from our home."
"I am coming, sir, I am coming--Consider," she added, with a sigh, "howlately I have been subjected to control--besides, I have not yet given mycousin the packet, and bid him fare-well--for ever. Yes, Frank," shesaid, "for ever!--there is a gulf between us--a gulf of absoluteperdition;--where we go, you must not follow--what we do, you must notshare in--Farewell--be happy!"
Parting of Die and Frank on the Moor --242]
In the attitude in which she bent from her horse, which was a Highlandpony, her face, not perhaps altogether unwillingly, touched mine. Shepressed my hand, while the tear that trembled in her eye found itsway to my cheek instead of her own. It was a moment never to beforgotten--inexpressibly bitter, yet mixed with a sensation of pleasureso deeply soothing and affecting, as at once to unlock all theflood-gates of the heart. It was _but_ a moment, however; for, instantlyrecovering from the feeling to which she had involuntarily given way,she intimated to her companion she was ready to attend him, and puttingtheir horses to a brisk pace, they were soon far distant from the placewhere I stood.
Heaven knows, it was not apathy which loaded my frame and my tongue somuch, that I could neither return Miss Vernon's half embrace, nor evenanswer her farewell. The word, though it rose to my tongue, seemed tochoke in my throat like the fatal _guilty,_ which the delinquent whomakes it his plea, knows must be followed by the doom of death. Thesurprise--the sorrow, almost stupified me. I remained motionless with thepacket in my hand, gazing after them, as if endeavouring to count thesparkles which flew from the horses' hoofs. I continued to look aftereven these had ceased to be visible, and to listen for their footstepslong after the last distant trampling had died in my ears. At length,tears rushed to my eyes, glazed as they were by the exertion of strainingafter what was no longer to be seen. I wiped them mechanically, andalmost without being aware that they were flowing--but they came thickerand thicker; I felt the tightening of the throat and breast--the_hysterica passio_ of poor Lear; and sitting down by the wayside, I sheda flood of the first and most bitter tears which had flowed from my eyessince childhood.