第47章

"First to indemnify you of your charges in my behalf, worthy sir--and the balance for the use of Miss Lucy Bertram.""But, Mr. Sampson, your labour in the office much more than recompenses me--I am your debtor, my good friend.""Then be it all," said the Dominie, waving his hand, "for Miss Lucy Bertram's behoof.""Well, but, Dominie, this money--""It is honestly come by, Mr. Mac-Morlan; it is the bountiful reward of a young gentleman, to whom I am teaching the tongues; reading with him three hours daily--"A few more questions extracted from the Dominie that this liberal pupil was young Hazlewood, and that he met his preceptor daily at the house of Mrs. Mac-Candlish, whose proclamation of Sampson's disinterested attachment to the young lady had procured him this indefatigable and bounteous scholar.

Mac-Morlan was much struck with what he heard.

Dominie Sampson was doubtless a very good scholar, and an excellent man, and the classics were unquestionably very well worth reading;yet that a young man of twenty should ride seven miles and back again each day in the week, to hold this sort of tete-a-tete of three hours, was a zeal for literature to which he was not prepared to give entire credit. Little art was necessary to sift the Dominie, for the honest man's head never admitted any but the most direct and simple ideas. "Does Miss Bertram know how your time is engaged, my good friend?""Surely not as yet--Mr. Charles recommended it should be concealed from her, lest she should scruple to accept of the small assistance arising from it; but," he added, "it would not be possible to conceal it long, since Mr. Charles proposed taking his lessons occasionally in this house.""Oh, he does!" said Mac-Morlan Yes, yes, I can understand that better.--And pray, Mr. Sampson, are these three hours entirely spent in construing and translating?""Doubtless, no--we have also colloquial intercourse to sweeten study--neque semper arcum tendit Apollo."The querist proceeded to elicit from this Galloway Phoebus what their discourse chiefly turned upon.

"Upon our past meetings at Ellangowan--and, truly, I think very often we discourse concerning Miss Lucy--for Mr. Charles Hazlewood, in that particular, resembleth me, Mr. Mac-Morlan. When I begin to speak of her I never know when to stop--and, as I say (jocularly), she cheats us out of half our lessons.""Oh ho!" thought Mr. Mac-Morlan, "sits the wind in that quarter?

I've heard something like this before."

He then began to consider what conduct was safest for his protege, and even for himself; for the senior Mr. Hazlewood was powerful, wealthy, ambitious, and vindictive, and looked for both fortune and title in any connection which his son might form. At length, having the highest opinion of his guest's good sense and penetration, he determined to take an opportunity, when they should happen to be alone, to communicate the matter to her as a simple piece of intelligence. He did so in as natural a manner as he could;--"I wish you joy of your friend Mr. Sampson's good fortune, Miss Bertram; he has got a pupil who pays him two guineas for twelve lessons of Greek and Latin.""Indeed!--I am equally happy and surprised--who can be so liberal?--is Colonel Mannering returned?""No, no, not Colonel Mannering; but what do you think of your acquaintance, Mr. Charles Hazlewood?--He talks of taking his lessons here--I wish we may have accommodation for him."Lucy blushed deeply. "For Heaven's sake, no, Mr. Mac-Morlan--do not let that be--Charles Hazlewood has had enough of mischief about that already.""About the classics, my dear young lady?" wilfully seeming to misunderstand her;--"most young gentlemen have so at one period or another, sure enough, but his present studies are voluntary."Miss Bertram let the conversation drop, and her host made no effort to renew it, as she seemed to pause upon the intelligence in order to form some internal resolution.