St. Ronan's Well Page 47

  APPENDIX.

  [The following extract from the proof-sheets containing Scott's originalconclusion of "St. Ronan's Well" was sent to the Athenaeum of Feb. 4,1893, by Mr. J. M. Collyer. The proof-sheets are in the possession ofMr. Archibald Constable. The scene, of which a few lines remain in theauthorised texts, is that of Hannah Irwin's Confession to JosiahCargill.

  "Oh, most unhappy woman," he said, "what does your introduction prepareme to expect?"

  "Your expectation, be it ever so ominous, shall be fully satisfied. ThatBulmer, when he told you that a secret marriage was necessary to MissMowbray's honour, thought that he was imposing on you.--But he told youa fatal truth, so far as concerned Clara. She had indeed fallen, butBulmer was not her seducer--knew nothing of the truth of what he sostrongly asseverated."

  "_He_ was not her lover, then?--And how came he, then, to press to marryher?--Or, how came you"----

  "Hear me--but question not.--Bulmer had gained the advantage over mewhich he pretended to have had over Clara. From that moment mycompanion's virtue became at once the object of my envy and hatred: yet,so innocent were the lovers, that, despite of the various arts which Iused to entrap them, they remained guiltless until the fatal eveningwhen Clara met Tyrrel for the last time ere he removed from theneighbourhood--and then the devil and Hannah Irwin triumphed. Much therewas of remorse--much of resolutions of separation until the Churchshould unite them--but these only forwarded my machinations--for I wasdetermined she should wed Bulmer, not Tyrrel."

  "Wretch!" exclaimed the clergyman: "and had you not, then, done enough?Why did you expose the paramour of one brother to become the wife ofanother?"

  She paused, and answered sullenly, "I had my reasons--Bulmer had treatedme with scorn. He told me plainly that he used me but as astepping-stone to his own purposes: and that these finally centred inwedding Clara. I was resolved he should wed her, and take with herinfamy and misery to his bed."

  "This is too horrible," said Cargill, endeavouring, with a tremblinghand, to make minutes of her confession.

  "Ay," said the sick woman, "but I contended with a master of the game,who played me stratagem for stratagem. If I destined for him adishonoured wife, he contrived by his agent, Solmes, to match me with ahusband imposed on me by his devices as a man of fortune," &c.--ED.]

  GLOSSARY.

  A', all.

  Abbey, the sanctuary for debtors at Holyrood Abbey.

  Ae, one.

  Aff, off.

  Ail, to prevent.

  Ainsell, oneself.

  An, if.

  Ance, once.

  Ane, one.

  Asper, a Turkish coin of small value.

  "Athole brose," honey mixed with whisky, used in the Highlands sometimesas a luxury, sometimes as a specific for a cold.

  Aught, eight.

  Awa, away.

  Bairn, a child.

  Baith, both.

  Barmy-brained, giddy, feather-brained.

  Baron-bailie, a kind of magistrate, the baron's deputy in a burgh ofbarony.

  Basket-beagles, beagles that chased a hare slipped from a basket.

  Bauld, bold.

  Bawbee, a halfpenny.

  Bedral, a sexton.

  Begum, an Indian princess, or lady of high rank.

  Bidden, remained.

  Blawort, a bluebottle.

  Blunt, money.

  Bodle, a small copper coin.

  "Bow Street runners," London detectives.

  Braid, broad.

  Brank, span.

  Briquet, a steel with which to strike a light.

  Brose, oatmeal over which boiling water has been poured.

  Browst, a brewing, as much as is brewed at one time.

  Bruick, a kind of boil.

  "By ordinar," out of the common run.

  Cadi, a judge.

  Callant, a lad.

  Cantrip, a piece of mischief.

  Capernoity, crabbed, irritable.

  Carline, a witch.

  Cheeny, china.

  Clachan, a hamlet.

  Claise, clothes.

  Cleugh, a rugged ascent.

  Corbie, a raven. "Corbie messenger," a messenger who either returns notat all, or too late.

  Cull, a fool.

  Daffing, frolicking.

  Deil, the devil.

  Diddled, beaten, got the better of.

  Dinna, don't.

  Div, do.

  Dorts, in a sullen humour.

  Douce, quiet, sensible.

  Dub-skelper--used contemptuously for a rambling fellow, an idlevagabond.

  Dwam, a stupor.

  Encognure, a corner table.

  Eneugh, enough.

  Fand, found.

  Faughta, a sort of pigeon sacred amongst the Hindoos.

  Feir, with good countenance.

  Fend, defence.

  Feuar, one who holds lands in feu--_i.e._, on lease.

  Fit, foot.

  Flisk-ma-hoy, new-fangled.

  Forby, besides.

  Frae, from.

  Fule, a fool.

  "Fusionless skink," tasteless stuff.

  Gae, go; gaen, gone.

  Gait, gate, way, direction.

  Galopin, a scullion or errand-boy.

  Ganging, going.

  Gar, to force, to make. "Gars me grue," gives me the creeps.

  Gard, made.

  Gay, very.

  Geeing, giving.

  "Gentlemen of the fancy," prize-fighters.

  Gin, if.

  Girn, to grin.

  Girning, whining.

  Glenlivat, a celebrated whisky distillery.

  Gowk, a fool.

  Grue, to shiver. The flesh is said to _grue_ when a chilly sensationpasses over the surface of the body.

  Gude, good. Gudewife, a landlady.

  Gusing-iron, a smoothing iron.

  Hae, have.

  Hail, haill, whole.

  "Hale and feir," right and proper.

  Hap, hop.

  Heritors, the landowners and proprietors of the parish.

  Hinny, a term of endearment = honey.

  Hirple, hobble.

  Hollah. _See_ Faughta.

  Hoose, a house.

  Hough, the thigh.

  Imaum, a Mohammedan ecclesiastic of high rank.

  I'se, I shall.

  Jaud, a jade.

  Joseph, a riding-coat with buttons down the skirts.

  Ken, to know.

  "Lang syne," long ago.

  Limmer, a worthless creature.

  Maravedi, an old Spanish coin of small value.

  Maundered, mumble.

  Mickle, muckle, much.

  Mundungus, vile, ill-smelling tobacco.

  Nae, no, not

  Neevie-neevie-nick-nack, a game with marbles, similar to "odd or even."

  "On the pad," on the tramp.

  Ony, any.

  Or, before.

  Ower, over.

  Pabouches, slippers.

  Pickle, a little, a small quantity.

  Pliskie, a trick.

  Plottie, mulled wine.

  Pococurante, one who affects indifference.

  Pomander-boxes, perfume-boxes.

  Poortith, poverty.

  Pownie, a pony.

  Puir, poor.

  Raff, a worthless fellow, a nobody.

  Remora, an obstacle, hindrance.

  Rin, run.

  Roof-tree, the beam that supports the roof.

  Sae, so.

  Sall, shall.

  Scaurs, jibs.

  Scrog, a stunted bush or scrub.

  "Sgherro insigne," notorious cut-throat.

  Shieling, a hut.

  Shouther, the shoulder.

  Shroff, a Parsee or Indian merchant.

  Sic, such.

  Skeely, skilful.

  Slaister, a mess.

  Snooded, bound up with a snood or fillet for the hair.

  Soop, to sweep.

  Sorting, a correction with
the hand or the tongue.

  "Sossings and soopings," made-up soups and messes.

  Souvenir, a lady's reticule or hand-bag.

  Speer, to inquire.

  Sponsible, respectable.

  Swarf, to swoon.

  Syllabub, a curd made of wine or cider with milk or cream.

  Taupie, tawpie, an awkward girl, a tomboy.

  Tinkler, a tinker.

  Titupping, lively, full of spirit.

  Tozie, a shawl of goat's wool.

  Troke, to traffic, do business with in a small way.

  Turbinacious, peaty, turfy.

  "Ullah kerim!" God is merciful.

  Ultroneous, uncalled for, unusual.

  Umquhile, the late.

  Unco, very, particular, uncommon.

  Usquebaugh, whisky.

  Wad, would.

  Wae, woful, sad.

  Waur, worse.

  Wee, small, little.

  Weel, well.

  Wheen, a few.

  Wi', with.

  Windlestrae, a small bundle of straw.

  Wizzened, withered.

  Wunna, will not.

  Yestreen, last night.

  Yince, once.

  THE END.