Joseph Wilmot, or, The Memoirs of a Man-Servant — page 226: what you’re looking at

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| -JOSEPH WILMOT $ OR, THE MEMOIRS OF A MAN-SERVANT. ping short—but this time in startled wonderment ; and his looks were bent with awful sternness upon the Dominie. “A bridge, did you say, Mr. Clack- mannan ?” “Tt’s just that,” was the response: for the superannuated pedagogue was too obtuse to per- ceive that the Chief’s ire was excited. “A bridge would be a very convenient thing: one could come and go when one liked, and not have all the trouble as well as the inconvenience of those boats. The other day yes, it must have been the other day—it was when I was crossing to post a letter to my friend Baillie Owlhead of the Gallowgate, Aberdeen, that:a sudden gust of wind blew all the snuff into my eyes it must have been my eyes —it*couldn’t have been in my mouth But I shall recollect presently.” “A bridge, did you say, Mr. Clackmannan P” repeated the Chief, in deeper and sterner accents. “ And this proposition is addressed by a Clackman- nan of Clackmannanauchnish to the Chief of Inch Methglin ?” “Tt’s just that,’ replied the Dominie, still utterly unaware that he was giving the slightest offence: and he took a huge pinch of snuff. “A bridge, sir,’ observed the Chief, with the air of one whose very pride had received an awful shock, “ would be an innovation not to be tolerated in the Highlands. The whole clan, sir, would have a right to rise in rebellion against the author of such a tremendous encroachment. A bridge, Mr. Clackmannan! As well talk to me of a balloon! A bridge, sir, would do away with some of the most time-honoured appendages of the Inch. In- deed, it would cease to be anInch! Take away boats and jetties—fling a bridge across—and it is a road, a veritable road which would be thus formed! Where, then, sir, would be the necessity for my state-barge and my twelve bargemen ?” “It’s just that, Inch Methglin,” persisted the stupid Dominie. “ You would save all the expense and a great deal of trouble. I remember [I told Widow Glenbucket when I lodged with her in the Grass-market, that if she bought tea and butter by the pound at a time, instead of the quarter- pound I think I must have said the pound— it couldn’t have been the ounce 4 “Expense, Mr. Clackmannan!” exclaimed the Chief, with an air of Royal scorn: “ who cares for the expense? Not I, sir!” he added disdainfully. “The Chief of Inch Methglin cares nothing for | expense !”’—and as if he had already condescended to argue the point too far, he turned round, gave his arm again to his niece; and with an air as 213 About the bridge, however, Inch presently. Methglin ?” But the Chief disdained a reply; and Dominie Clackmannan, regaling himself with a pinch of snuff, followed in stupid ruminating silence. “ Joseph, you understand and recollect,’ said the Chief, once more turning round as he reached the steps of the portico, and addressing me with the stately air of command which he was wont to adopt,—“ you will hold yourself in readiness to attend upon Miss Vennachar, as you have done this afternoon.” “Certainly, sir,’ I answered: and then, as I glanced at the young lady, I caught an expression - of uneasiness again flitting from her countenance and being as rapidly succeeded by one of surprise : for she must have been indeed astonished at the cool collected manner in which I thus heard myself spoken of as haying been in attendance on her, | whereas, as the reader is aware, we had merely crossed the ferry together. “But about the bridge,” said the persevering Dominie Clackmannan. “The bridge, sir, shall never be built across my loch!” answered the Chief sternly. “I would sooner have to swim across, and make everybody about me swim too ~ “Tt’s just that, Inch Methglin, which you couldn’t do with me,” interjected the Dominie: “for I am sure I should swim like—a—a stone. And that reminds me of what I one day said to the Widow Glenbucket when Sandie Macwheeble was present——” But as I was now hurrying round to the back of the mansion, I caught no more of the worthy Dominie’s anecdote. I could however have wa- gered my existence that it was not brought to a finish. Several days passed; and Miss Emmeline did not again cross the ferry. Yet the weather con- tinued beautiful: but I could easily fancy that the poor young lady was perplexed how to act. Per- haps her uncle had never spoken so positively before against her going out alone; and she did not dare disobey him. She confined her walks to the grounds on the Inch; and though within a circumference of three miles, she could very well have met Donald Stuart in some spot where their interview would have been unperceived, yet during a week which elapsed from the date of the scene last recorded, no such meeting took place. Some- times in her rambles about the gardens and the orchards, she was accompanied by Lennox—but only for a short while at a time. They had stately as if all Scotland, instead of a mere portion been reared together from their childhood; and of it, belonged to him, he walked on in the grandeur | of disdainful silence towards the castle. “And yet I am thinking it’s just the bridge that will improve the estate,” resumed the Domi- nie, whose skull was inaccessible to all the evidences, marked though they were, of his Chief’s annoy- ance. “A bridge, Inch Methglin, would have | much as he might love her, there was no novelty for him in the society of the charming girl: for I am well assured that though he might have sense enough to comprehend her mental gifts and ac- complishments, he had not sufficient intellectuality on his own part to appreciate or enjoy them. On two or three occasions during this week which thus saved me that tumble in the loch I had the other | elapsed, I passed Miss Vennachar in the grounds ; day went in first and I went in after it. fifteen years ago—when my snuff-box | and on each occasion it struck me that she looked But no—it | as if she longed to speak—as if she had some couldn’t have been the fault of the ferry-boat | question to put, but dared not give utterance to either—because it was right at the other extremity | it. Methought likewise that there was a certain of the Inch. It must have been when I wasread-| air of sadness about her,—not however such a ing that long letter from the Laird of Tintosquash- | sadness as her uncle and cousin were likely to per- dale———But I forget now—I shall remember | ceive—much less the obtuse old Dominie,—but a ECORNICLOO@ 5) (CO) AA