CHAPTER XVI.
_MAN AND WIFE_.
It was dark before the wanderers alighted at Auchlippie. Mr. Sangsterhad already retired. He was always up in time to superintend thefeeding of his stock and to see his men begin work punctually at sixo'clock, and he generally became drowsy early in the evening.
Every one was cold, weary, and perhaps a trifle cross. Supper was anecessary, but it proved by no means a cheerful meal, and each onesought his candlestick as soon as possible. Mrs. Sangster followed.
All through the afternoon she had been in a state of suppressedexcitement, she found it hard to refrain from saying what wasuppermost in her thoughts, yet, what she would have said, she felt shecould not say before her daughter, nor even her son and his friend.She had been restless and irritable all the way home, breaking in uponand interrupting the rather listless chat of the others, yet unable tofurnish talk herself. Arrived at home, and unable to get speech of herspouse, she had fallen foul of the supper arrangements, and rated theparlour-maid soundly, till that injured damsel withdrew in tears, andinformed the denizens of the kitchen that 'something had come ower themistress, for she was carrying on ben the house, like a hen on a hetgirdle.'
Having seen all safe for the night, she sought her chamber. There sheseated herself on the chair by the bed-head of her slumbering lord,and laying her hand on his shoulder, she imperiously whispered,'James.'
James opened his eyes. 'Is that you, Kirsty? Put out your candle andcome to bed.'
'But I couldn't sleep a wink, James, till I have talked it all overwith you. So waken up!'
'I'm sleeping already, and I won't be disturbed. If you wanted to talkover things, you should have come home sooner. Come to bed!'
'I cannot lay down my head to-night, or sleep one wink till I havetalked it all over.'
'Then, sit up, by all means, if it pleases you; but put out the candleand hold your tongue. I've got to be up early in the morning, and Iwant to sleep,' and thereupon he turned round on the other side.
'James Sangster! Wake up at once! and listen to me! I'm the mother ofyour children, and the wife of your bosom! Saint Peter says you are togive honour to your wife as the weaker vessel, and I insist on yourattending to what I have to say!'
'Saint Peter wasn't married to a Scotch woman, or he'd have knownbetter. Small weakness I see in any of you!'
'Mister Sangster! I will not allow the Scriptures to be spoken of inthat irreverent manner. And you an elder of the Fre Church! Forshame!'
'The Scriptures command wives to obey their husbands, and I tell youto put out your candle, and hold your tongue!'
'I won't have Scripture bandied in his irreverent way! Pray who areyou? to take its sacred precepts in your lips, you worldly-minded man.But it's none of your fleeting temporal concerns I'm thinking about!It's the Church itself.'
'Well, my dear, it can keep till morning; it can't take fire to-night.That's one advantage of it's not being built yet! And you've deaved meoften enough before about Widow Forester's kale-yard and all the restof it--Get to bed!'
'It's not the church stance I'm thinking about. It's our souls! I'mafraid, nay I know we have been placing our immortal interests in thehands of a man of Belial!'
'What are you havering about, now, gude-wife?--man of Belial?--speakplain English or honest Scotch!'
'It's true! James Sangster, Roderick Brown is a man of sin!'
'We're all sinners, my dear. If you'd only mind that always, and thatit includes yourself, you'd speak more charitably of your neighbours.I wish I was as sure of myself, or you either, as I am of young Brown.He's a true christian--the very salt of the earth!'
'The salt has lost its savour, then, for he's a bad man!'
'Oh fie, Mrs. Sangster! And it's not a month yet since you weretalking of marrying him to our Sophia! and I really felt like agreeingwith you for once. He'd make a better man for her than that whiskeredgomeral down stairs--for all his siller. I'm thinking its theEnglishman's bawbees, mistress, have changed your tune.'
'I am _not_ mercenary!' retorted Mrs. Sangster, stiffening herself inher dignity and her best English; 'and you well know it! Though butfor my christian prudence, your standing in the world, and yourbalance at the bank, which is more within your narrow comprehension,would not be what they are!'
'Hoity toity, woman! no offence! Well! you've woke me up, at any ratenow, (the pertinacity of these weaker vessels!) so say your say andhave done!' and thereupon he sat up in bed, adjusting the whitenightcap with its tufted summit over his red sun-burnt face. Theclouds of sleep had entirely dispersed themselves, and with them everyshadow of ill-humour; but there was a twinkle at the corner of hiseye at the absurdity of his wife's vehemence, which she found harderto bear up against. 'Tell away, my dear, I'm listening.'
His wife cleared her voice and opened her lips, but nothing came.
'A mountain in labour and out comes a mouse! "_ridiculus mus_" we usedto say at the Grammar School of Forfar.'
'There's nothing ridiculous about it!' retorted the lady, snatching atan excuse to become indignant again, and so bear up under the tranquilcynicism in her husband's face. 'But you men are always for castingridicule on serious things. You think it shows your superiority, Isuppose.'
'Never mind, my dear, go on with your story.'
'Well, as I said already, he's a bad man. He has brought the innocentconfiding daughter of that poor lone, widow Tirpie to harm, and now heis not only concealing his sin, but, as one may say, glorying in it,and trading on it to get a reputation for beneficence before the wholeparish. He brings it home as a poor foundling rescued from the sea,persuades his sister to adopt it, and actually has the effrontery andthe profanity to hold it up for baptism, and take on himself the vowsbefore the whole congregation.'
'Did old Tibbie Tirpie tell you all that? Is she publishing thedisgrace of her own child?'
'It wasn't she who told me, but I have no doubt when you call her andthe girl up before you in the Kirk Session, they will confess thewhole.'
'And if Tibbie is not your informant, pray is it the daughter? Andwhat corroborating evidence can she show? I wonder you would lend soready an ear to the assertions of a designing quean, whose conduct, byher own confession, has shaken her claim to credit.'
'Oh you men! you are all hard alike, and scornful, when a weak womanis the sufferer--is that your manliness? But it was not the girl whoconfessed to me. I venture to think that not the most impudent wouldcome to _me_ with such a tale. I trust my character as a virtuousmatron stands high enough to save me from contamination such as that.'
'No doubt, my dear--I should not like to be in her shoes, at any rate,if she did venture so far--your virtue would be too much for her--andwould not spare her.'
'I hope not, Mr. Sangster! Though you say it as though it were adisparagement. The evidence is all circumstantial, as it mustnecessarily be, in a case of secret sin and hypocrisy; but it fits sowell together, and is so conclusive, I have no doubt whatever in thematter. Less has hung a man before now; but then that was in cases ofsheep stealing--a very different affair. Sheep are property, and youmen are keen enough where that is concerned. This is a case of souls,and till women and ministers get a voice in your law-making, there'slittle justice to be looked for.'
'The Lord grant I may be removed before that day arrives. The womenand the ministers ride us roughly enough at home, but when it comesto making our laws, and governing us publicly I hope I shall beaway--But, to return to our mutton--not the sheep-stealing, but thematter in hand--what is your circumstantial evidence? And where didyou hear it?'
'The most startling circumstances, as far as I can recollect them atpresent, are, that it was on that dark night of the storm, that thegirl returned home after a long and unexplained absence. That samenight, as I am informed, in the dark and storm, when nobody could seehim, he stole away, and the next morning brought in the child. Observethe coincidence. Then there was the conduct of the girl at
the child'sbaptism. It was quite startling as described to me. So like theworkings of an awakened conscience! And the unwillingness she showedto look at the destroyer of her peace. She actually rose and left themeeting before he stood up to offer the child for baptism. As I wasnot an eye-witness of that, however, I cannot express it so stronglyto you as it was impressed on me. Then he has been seen coming out ofthe Tirpie cottage, after dark. Oh! repeatedly! And he has been givingthem large sums of money. The old woman has carried pounds of it intothe village, and it is known that no people about here pass notes ofthe Peterhead bank except the Browns. Now! what do you say to allthat, James Sangster?'
'Nothing, my dear, at present. Who told you it all?'
'It came to me in quite a providential way, seeing that I felt ratherunder an obligation to Roderick Brown just then, and thereforesoftened to him in the matter of his courtship to our Sophia. We gotlost in the mist this forenoon on Craig Findochart, and we all gotscattered. If it had not been for Roderick Brown, I believe I mighthave been there yet. But we got down at last, and came right upon ashepherd's shieling, where I waited and got dried, till a vehiclecould be sent for me from the inn. The shepherd's wife,--Boague is hername, and I owe her some flannel for her hospitality,--seems a veryworthy woman, and an earnest adherent of the church, and it was shetold me it all. Told it in a very proper spirit. I believe she is aworthy woman, and seemed to deplore most properly the sad falling awayof one of our office-bearers. But do you not agree with me, such a manshould be made an example of?'
'Made an example of? Whom would I make an example of? I would make anexample of the idle tattling woman who makes free with the names andreputations of her betters! If I lived in the good old times when myfather was Provost of Forfar, and if I filled his shoes, I would haveher tawed through the town at the cart's tail, and so teach her toweigh her words. And as for you, Kirsty! I am surprised that a goodwoman should lend so ready an ear to foolish slander, without a shredof proof to support it. You have known the Browns all their lives, andyet you will let the idle blathers of an ignorant cottar wife set youagainst them! I thought you had set your mind on getting the girl forPeter. How will circulating slanders against the brother help youthere?'
'The girl, Mr. Sangster, has other views, it would appear. She leftPeter in the mist and rode away with Captain Drysdale to Inchbracken.Brother and sister seem both tarred with the same stick. But she shallnever have it to say that she jilted my Peter! When her brother isdisgraced that 'will be reason enough why Peter should not press hissuit with the young lady.'
'Don't let your tongue run away with you, my dear. I see no prospect,and I hope there _is_ none, of your ever disgracing Roderick Brown,and I warn you never to repeat to any one the trumpery story you havewoke me up to listen to; your husband will have heavy damages to pay,if you so far forget yourself.'
'But it is a spiritual matter, and will go before the Church Courts.'
'Even if it did, my dear, a civil action would lie, so you had bettertake care. The damages would be perhaps a thousand pounds, besidesexpenses.'
'But what did we leave the Establishment for, if we are still to beanswerable to the Court of Session.'
'If we left it for that purpose, my dear, it was a false move, for weare still the Queen's'subjects, and liable to be sued in all hercourts. If you circulate a slander to a man's civil injury, you mustpay for it, and your circulating it through the Courts of the FreeChurch will not save you from the consequences, and very properly,too! So take my advice for once, and say no more about it. Now, get tobed.'
Mrs. Sangster had much too high an opinion of her own perspicacity tobe moved an inch from her belief in the minister's wrong-doing, byanything her spouse could say; in fact, as a superior woman, she feltbound to believe it all the more on that account. At the same time hisplain common sense impressed her uncomfortably, and though she wouldhave scouted to own its influence, she yet had no wish to meet it incollision. She therefore forbore to say anything on the subject nextday, though it was much in her thoughts; just as the owner of somedelicate fancy article will be careful how he brings it within thebrutal swing of a sledge hammer, though he does not therefore partwith his property.
Sophia had a bad cold, and Peter was laid up with toothache, swelledface, rheumatism, and most of the other aches and pains possible tofrail humanity after being drenched to the skin. Mr. Sangster had goneoff to attend a fair, and only the hostess was left to amuse theguest. Mr. Wallowby had sauntered round the garden, the stable, andthe cattlepens, consuming much tobacco as he went, and now he wasreturned indoors. Mrs. Sangster had provided him with newspapers,magazines and such light reading as she could lay her hands on; he hadlooked at them and laid them down; and now the two were confrontingeach other in the drawing-room making themselves miserable in abortiveconversation. Neither was more stupid or worse informed than people ingeneral; on the contrary, both were sharp enough; but by no devicecould they contrive to make their ideas run in parallel trains.Whatever was said by the one was answered by the other at crosspurposes, till both felt themselves sinking into helpless fatuity.Wallowby held up his book that he might yawn behind it, the lady wentto the window, that she might take the same relaxation undisturbed.
The sight of a carriage approaching was a welcome apparition, mingledtoo with a little surprise as she descried the Inchbracken liveries,and bethought her that there was no election in prospect; for it wasseldom, save for reasons of state and the good of the nation, thatLady Caroline vouchsafed the light of her countenance on the dwellersat Auchlippie.
Mrs. Sangster was immensely gratified by the kind interest in herwelfare which had prompted Miss Finlayson's visit, and was pathetic inher regrets for the severe headache which had deprived her of thesight of her ladyship in person that forenoon.
Miss Finlayson then turned to Mr. Wallowby, enquired the length of hisstay in the neighbourhood, and expressed Lady Caroline's regret thatshe had not seen him at dinner the day he shot with Captain John, andmentioned the many interesting things they had been disappointed ofshowing him.
Mr. Wallowby was a radical, and therefore enjoyed the idea of havingexcited interest in a titled lady--all democrats like distinguishedcompany. The American variety live, when possible, exclusively amongColonels and Judges; but in England where these are few, a lord or alady is a being whom it is happiness to have spoken to. He expressedhis wish to call before leaving the neighbourhood, and she, byenumerating the real or imaginary engagements of her ladyship for allthe days but one, secured that if the visit were made it should be ona day when the gentlemen would be absent. She dared not inflict adistasteful guest upon them, but she knew she could coax Lady Carolineinto complaisance for one afternoon. She also produced a few of herbest smiles and pretty speeches, and offered them tentatively to thegentleman, who rose to them freely; and, to change the metaphor, wasindeed in very high feather.
When the visit came to an end, he manifested considerably more_empressement_ in seeing the lady to her carriage than Mrs. Sangsterthought was at all called for, and she went up stairs at once to herdaughter's room to see if she could not be brought down, and make alittle way with him in his present lively mood, or show at least howmuch handsomer she was than the agreeable young person who had justdriven away. Alas! poor Sophia's cold in the head was too severe, herface was swollen and flushed, her eyes were watery, and severalletters of the alphabet were beyond her power of speech. The mothersighed, but had the wisdom to admit she was best in her own room.
Wallowby went up to see Peter, who was trying to deaden his pains withtobacco, to tell what a remarkably fine girl had just left the house.Peter would not admit the fineness, but he mentioned what told morestrongly in her favour-her relationship to the noble family ofPitthevlis.
'Really aristocratic!' said Wallowby. 'I knew it, the moment I sawher. A most elegant person, and she seems to know a well-lookingEnglishman when she sees one. Most remarkable, Peter, how well we goton together!--seemed to understand each other from the ver
y first. Youknow I am rather a stiff and reserved fellow in general, with perhapsjust a shade of hauteur. But somehow, we just dropped into eachother's way at once. Most remarkable!' Somehow he forgot to sayanything about the intended visit to Inchbracken. In fact he meant tomake that alone, and he trusted to Peter's rheumatism lasting longenough to prevent his wishing to accompany him.