This was news to Robert--probably false, considering the quarter whence it came.But his mother-wit did not forsake him.
'Weel, Mr.Lumley,' he answered, 'didna he pipe weel? Daur ye tell me 'at he didna pipe weel?--as weel's ye cud hae dune 't yersel', noo, Mr.Lumley?'
The laugh again rose at Lumley's expense, who was well known to have tried his hand at most things, and succeeded in nothing.Dooble Sanny was especially delighted.
'De'il hae ye for a de'il's brat! 'At I suld sweer!' was all Lumley's reply, as he sought to conceal his mortification by attempting to join in the laugh against himself.Robert seized the opportunity of turning away and entering the house.
'That ane's no to be droont or brunt aither,' said Lumley, as he disappeared.
'He'll no be hang't for closin' your mou', Mr.Lumley,' said the shoemaker.
Thereupon Lumley turned and followed Robert into the inn.
Robert had delivered his message to Miss Napier, who sat in an arm-chair by the fire, in a little comfortable parlour, held sacred by all about the house.She was paralytic, and unable to attend to her guests further than by giving orders when anything especial was referred to her decision.She was an old lady--nearly as old as Mrs.Falconer--and wore glasses, but they could not conceal the kindness of her kindly eyes.Probably from giving less heed to a systematic theology, she had nothing of that sternness which first struck a stranger on seeing Robert's grandmother.But then she did not know what it was to be contradicted; and if she had been married, and had had sons, perhaps a sternness not dissimilar might have shown itself in her nature.
'Noo ye maunna gang awa' till ye get something,' she said, after taking the receipt in request from a drawer within her reach, and laying it upon the table.But ere she could ring the bell which stood by her side, one of her servants came in.
'Please, mem,' she said, 'Miss Letty and Miss Lizzy's seein' efter the bonny leddy; and sae I maun come to you.'
'Is she a' that bonny, Meg?' asked her mistress.
'Na, na, she's nae sae fearsome bonny; but Miss Letty's unco ta'en wi' her, ye ken.An' we a' say as Miss Letty says i' this hoose.
But that's no the pint.Mr.Lumley's here, seekin' a gill: is he to hae't?'
'Has he had eneuch already, do ye think, Meg?'
'I dinna ken aboot eneuch, mem; that's ill to mizzer; but I dinna think he's had ower muckle.'
'Weel, lat him tak' it.But dinna lat him sit doon.'
'Verra weel, mem,' said Meg, and departed.
'What gars Mr.Lumley say 'at my gran'father was the blin' piper o'
Portcloddie? Can ye tell me, Miss Naper?' asked Robert.
'Whan said he that, Robert?'
'Jist as I cam in.'
Miss Napier rang the bell.Another maid appeared.
'Sen' Meg here direckly.'
Meg came, her eyes full of interrogation.
'Dinna gie Lumley a drap.Set him up to insult a young gentleman at my door-cheek! He s' no hae a drap here the nicht.He 's had ower muckle, Meg, already, an' ye oucht to hae seen that.'
''Deed, mem, he 's had mair than ower muckle, than; for there's anither gill ower the thrapple o' 'm.I div my best, mem, but, never tastin' mysel', I canna aye tell hoo muckle 's i' the wame o'
a' body 'at comes in.'
'Ye're no fit for the place, Meg; that's a fac'.'
At this charge Meg took no offence, for she had been in the place for twenty years.And both mistress and maid laughed the moment they parted company.
'Wha's this 'at's come the nicht, Miss Naper, 'at they're sae ta'en wi'?' asked Robert.
'Atweel, I dinna ken yet.She's ower bonnie by a' accoonts to be gaein' about her lane (alone).It's a mercy the baron's no at hame.
I wad hae to lock her up wi' the forks and spunes.'
'What for that?' asked Robert.
But Miss Napier vouchsafed no further explanation.She stuffed his pockets with sweet biscuits instead, dismissed him in haste, and rang the bell.
'Meg, whaur hae they putten the stranger-leddy?'
'She's no gaein' to bide at our hoose, mem.'
'What say ye, lass? She's never gaein' ower to Lucky Happit's, is she?'
'Ow na, mem.She's a leddy, ilka inch o' her.But she's some sib (relation) to the auld captain, and she's gaein' doon the street as sune's Caumill's ready to tak her bit boxes i' the barrow.But Idoobt there'll be maist three barrowfu's o' them.'
'Atweel.Ye can gang.'