第38章

``And what! I am sure ye ken yoursell what a night he had --ye wadna expose the young gentleman to the like o' that, wad ye?''

Lovel interfered upon hearing this altercation, and protested he would far rather walk home than put them to the least inconvenience--that the exercise would be of service to him--that he knew the road perfectly, by night or day, to Fairport --that the storm was abating, and so forth--adding all that civility could suggest as an excuse for escaping from a hospitality which seemed more inconvenient to his host than he could possibly have anticipated.But the howling of the wind, and the pattering of the rain against the windows, with his knowledge of the preceding fatigues of the evening, must have prohibited Oldbuck, even had he entertained less regard for his young friend than he really felt, from permitting him to depart.

Besides, be was piqued in honour to show that he himself was not governed by womankind--``Sit ye down, sit ye down, sit ye down, man,'' he reiterated;--``an ye part so, I would I might never draw a cork again, and here comes out one from a prime bottle of--strong ale--right _anno domini_--none of your Wassia Quassia decoctions, but brewed of Monkbarns barley--John of the Girnel never drew a better flagon to entertain a wandering minstrel, or palmer, with the freshest news from Palestine.--And to remove from your mind the slightest wish to depart, know, that if you do so, your character as a gallant knight is gone for ever.Why, 'tis an adventure, man, to sleep in the Green Room at Monkbarns.--Sister, pray see it got ready--And, although the bold adventurer, Heavysterne, dree'd pain and dolour in that charmed apartment, it is no reason why a gallant knight like you, nearly twice as tall, and not half so heavy, should not encounter and break the spell.''

``What! a haunted apartment, I suppose?''

``To be sure, to be sure--every mansion in this country of the slightest antiquity has its ghosts and its haunted chamber, and you must not suppose us worse off than our neighbours.

They are going, indeed, somewhat out of fashion.I have seen the day, when if you had doubted the reality of a ghost in an old manor-house you ran the risk of being made a ghost yourself, as Hamlet says.--Yes, if you had challenged the existence of Redcowl in the Castle of Glenstirym, old Sir Peter Pepperbrand would have had ye out to his court-yard, made you betake yourself to your weapon, and if your trick of fence were not the better, would have sticked you like a paddock, on his own baronial midden-stead.I once narrowly escaped such an affray --but I humbled myself, and apologised to Redcowl; for, even in my younger days, I was no friend to the _monomachia,_ or duel, and would rather walk with Sir Priest than with Sir Knight--Icare not who knows so much of my valour.Thank God, I am old now, and can indulge my irritabilities without the necessity of supporting them by cold steel.''

Here Miss Oldbuck re-entered, with a singularly sage expression of countenance.--`Mr.Lovel's bed's ready, brother--clean sheets--weel aired--a spunk of fire in the chimney--I am sure, Mr.Lovel,'' (addressing him), ``it's no for the trouble--and Ihope you will have a good night's rest--But''--``You are resolved,'' said the Antiquary, ``to do what you can to prevent it.''

``Me?--I am sure I have said naething, Monkbarns.''

``My dear madam,'' said Lovel, ``allow me to ask you the meaning of your obliging anxiety on my account.''

``Ou, Monkbarns does not like to hear of it--but he kens himsell that the room has an ill name.It's weel minded that it was there auld Rab Tull the town-clerk was sleeping when he had that marvellous communication about the grand law-plea between us and the feuars at the Mussel-craig.--It had cost a hantle siller, Mr.Lovel; for law-pleas were no carried on without siller lang syne mair than they are now--and the Monkbarns of that day--our gudesire, Mr.Lovel, as I said before--was like to be waured afore the Session for want of a paper--Monkbarns there kens weel what paper it was, but I'se warrant he'll no help me out wi' my tale--but it was a paper of great significance to the plea, and we were to be waured for want o't.

Aweel, the cause was to come on before the fifteen--in presence, as they ca't--and auld Rab Tull, the town-clerk, he cam ower to make a last search for the paper that was wanting, before our gudesire gaed into Edinburgh to look after his plea--so there was little time to come and gang on.He was but a doited snuffy body, Rab, as I've heard--but then he was the town-clerk of Fairport, and the Monkbarns heritors aye employed him on account of their connection wi' the burgh, ye ken.''

``Sister Grizel, this is abominable,'' interrupted Oldbuck; ``Ivow to Heaven ye might have raised the ghosts of every abbot of Trotcosey, since the days of Waldimir, in the time you have been detailing the introduction to this single spectre.--Learn to be succinct in your narrative.--Imitate the concise style of old Aubrey, an experienced ghost-seer, who entered his memoranda on these subjects in a terse business-like manner; _exempli gratia_--`At Cirencester, 5th March, 1670, was an apparition.--Being demanded whether good spirit or bad, made no answer, but instantly disappeared with a curious perfume, and a melodious twang'--_Vide_ his Miscellanies, p.eighteen, as well as I can remember, and near the middle of the page."``O, Monkbarns, man! do ye think everybody is as book-learned as yoursell?--But ye like to gar folk look like fools--ye can do that to Sir Arthur, and the minister his very sell.''

``Nature has been beforehand with me, Grizel, in both these instances, and in another which shall be nameless--but take a glass of ale, Grizel, and proceed with your story, for it waxes late.''