The Black Dwarf Page 9

  CHAPTER VII.

  Proud bird of the mountain, thy plume shall be torn!-- . . . . Return to thy dwelling; all lonely, return; For the blackness of ashes shall mark where it stood, And a wild mother scream o'er her famishing brood.--CAMPBELL.

  The night continued sullen and stormy; but morning rose as if refreshedby the rains. Even the Mucklestane-Moor, with its broad bleak swells ofbarren grounds, interspersed with marshy pools of water, seemed to smileunder the serene influence of the sky, just as good-humour can spreada certain inexpressible charm over the plainest human countenance.The heath was in its thickest and deepest bloom. The bees, which theSolitary had added to his rural establishment, were abroad and on thewing, and filled the air with the murmurs of their industry. As the oldman crept out of his little hut, his two she-goats came to meet him, andlicked his hands in gratitude for the vegetables with which he suppliedthem from his garden. "You, at least," he said--"you, at least, see nodifferences in form which can alter your feelings to a benefactor--toyou, the finest shape that ever statuary moulded would be an objectof indifference or of alarm, should it present itself instead of themis-shapen trunk to whose services you are accustomed. While I was inthe world, did I ever meet with such a return of gratitude? No; thedomestic whom I had bred from infancy made mouths at me as he stoodbehind my chair; the friend whom I had supported with my fortune, andfor whose sake I had even stained--(he stopped with a strong convulsiveshudder), even he thought me more fit for the society of lunatics--fortheir disgraceful restraints--for their cruel privations, than forcommunication with the rest of humanity. Hubert alone--and Hubert toowill one day abandon me. All are of a piece, one mass of wickedness,selfishness, and ingratitude--wretches, who sin even in their devotions;and of such hardness of heart, that they do not, without hypocrisy, eventhank the Deity himself for his warm sun and pure air."

  As he was plunged in these gloomy soliloquies, he heard the tramp of ahorse on the other side of his enclosure, and a strong clear bass voicesinging with the liveliness inspired by a light heart,

  Canny Hobbie Elliot, canny Hobbie now, Canny Hobbie Elliot, I'se gang alang wi' you.

  At the same moment, a large deer greyhound sprung over the hermit'sfence. It is well known to the sportsmen in these wilds, that theappearance and scent of the goat so much resemble those of their usualobjects of chase, that the best-broke greyhounds will sometimes fly uponthem. The dog in question instantly pulled down and throttled one of thehermit's she-goats, while Hobbie Elliot, who came up, and jumped fromhis horse for the purpose, was unable to extricate the harmless animalfrom the fangs of his attendant until it was expiring. The Dwarf eyed,for a few moments, the convulsive starts of his dying favourite, untilthe poor goat stretched out her limbs with the twitches and shiveringfit of the last agony. He then started into an access of frenzy, andunsheathing a long sharp knife, or dagger, which he wore under hiscoat, he was about to launch it at the dog, when Hobbie, perceiving hispurpose, interposed, and caught hold of his hand, exclaiming, "Let a bethe hound, man--let a be the hound!--Na, na, Killbuck maunna be guidedthat gate, neither."

  The Dwarf turned his rage on the young farmer; and, by a sudden effort,far more powerful than Hobbie expected from such a person, freed hiswrist from his grasp, and offered the dagger at his heart. All this wasdone in the twinkling of an eye, and the incensed Recluse might havecompleted his vengeance by plunging the weapon in Elliot's bosom, had henot been checked by an internal impulse which made him hurl the knife toa distance.

  "No," he exclaimed, as he thus voluntarily deprived himself of the meansof gratifying his rage; "not again--not again!"

  Hobbie retreated a step or two in great surprise, discomposure, anddisdain, at having been placed in such danger by an object apparently socontemptible.

  "The deil's in the body for strength and bitterness!" were the firstwords that escaped him, which he followed up with an apology for theaccident that had given rise to their disagreement. "I am no justifyingKillbuck a'thegither neither, and I am sure it is as vexing to me as toyou, Elshie, that the mischance should hae happened; but I'll send youtwa goats and twa fat gimmers, man, to make a' straight again. A wiseman like you shouldna bear malice against a poor dumb thing; ye see thata goat's like first-cousin to a deer, sae he acted but according to hisnature after a'. Had it been a pet-lamb, there wad hae been mair to besaid. Ye suld keep sheep, Elshie, and no goats, where there's sae monydeerhounds about--but I'll send ye baith."

  "Wretch!" said the Hermit, "your cruelty has destroyed one of the onlycreatures in existence that would look on me with kindness!"

  "Dear Elshie," answered Hobbie, "I'm wae ye suld hae cause to say sae;I'm sure it wasna wi' my will. And yet, it's true, I should hae mindedyour goats, and coupled up the dogs. I'm sure I would rather they hadworried the primest wether in my faulds.--Come, man, forget and forgie.I'm e'en as vexed as ye can be--But I am a bridegroom, ye see, and thatputs a' things out o' my head, I think. There's the marriage-dinner, orgude part o't, that my twa brithers are bringing on a sled round by theRiders' Slack, three goodly bucks as ever ran on Dallomlea, as the sangsays; they couldna come the straight road for the saft grund. I wad sendye a bit venison, but ye wadna take it weel maybe, for Killbuck catchedit."

  During this long speech, in which the good-natured Borderer endeavouredto propitiate the offended Dwarf by every argument he could think of,he heard him with his eyes bent on the ground, as if in the deepestmeditation, and at length broke forth--"Nature?--yes! it is indeed inthe usual beaten path of Nature. The strong gripe and throttle the weak;the rich depress and despoil the needy; the happy (those who are idiotsenough to think themselves happy) insult the misery and diminish theconsolation of the wretched.--Go hence, thou who hast contrived to givean additional pang to the most miserable of human beings--thou who hastdeprived me of what I half considered as a source of comfort. Go hence,and enjoy the happiness prepared for thee at home!"

  "Never stir," said Hobbie, "if I wadna take you wi' me, man, if ye wadbut say it wad divert ye to be at the bridal on Monday. There will bea hundred strapping Elliots to ride the brouze--the like's no been seensin' the days of auld Martin of the Preakin-tower--I wad send the sledfor ye wi' a canny powny."

  "Is it to me you propose once more to mix in the society of the commonherd?" said the Recluse, with an air of deep disgust.

  "Commons!" retorted Hobbie, "nae siccan commons neither; the Elliots haebeen lang kend a gentle race."

  "Hence! begone!" reiterated the Dwarf; "may the same evil luck attendthee that thou hast left behind with me! If I go not with you myself,see if you can escape what my attendants, Wrath and Misery, have broughtto thy threshold before thee."

  "I wish ye wadna speak that gate," said Hobbie. "Ye ken yoursell,Elshie, naebody judges you to be ower canny; now, I'll tell ye just aeword for a'--ye hae spoken as muckle as wussing ill to me and mine; now,if ony mischance happen to Grace, which God forbid, or to mysell; or tothe poor dumb tyke; or if I be skaithed and injured in body, gudes, orgear, I'll no forget wha it is that it's owing to."

  "Out, hind!" exclaimed the Dwarf; "home! home to your dwelling, andthink on me when you find what has befallen there."

  "Aweel, aweel," said Hobbie, mounting his horse, "it serves naething tostrive wi' cripples,--they are aye cankered; but I'll just tell yeae thing, neighbour, that if things be otherwise than weel wi' GraceArmstrong, I'se gie you a scouther if there be a tar-barrel in the fiveparishes."

  So saying, he rode off; and Elshie, after looking at him with a scornfuland indignant laugh, took spade and mattock, and occupied himself indigging a grave for his deceased favourite.

  A low whistle, and the words, "Hisht, Elshie, hisht!" disturbed himin this melancholy occupation. He looked up, and the Red Reiver ofWestburnflat was before him. Like Banquo's murderer, there was blood onhis face, as well as upon the rowels of his spurs and the sides of hisover-ridden horse.

  "How now, ruffian!" demanded the Dwarf, "is thy job chared
?"

  "Ay, ay, doubt not that, Elshie," answered the freebooter; "When Iride, my foes may moan. They have had mair light than comfort at theHeugh-foot this morning; there's a toom byre and a wide, and a wail anda cry for the bonny bride."

  "The bride?"

  "Ay; Charlie Cheat-the-Woodie, as we ca' him, that's Charlie Foster ofTinning Beck, has promised to keep her in Cumberland till the blast blawby. She saw me, and kend me in the splore, for the mask fell frae myface for a blink. I am thinking it wad concern my safety if she wereto come back here, for there's mony o' the Elliots, and they band weelthegither for right or wrang. Now, what I chiefly come to ask your redein, is how to make her sure?"

  "Wouldst thou murder her, then?"

  "Umph! no, no; that I would not do, if I could help it. But they saythey can whiles get folk cannily away to the plantations from some ofthe outports, and something to boot for them that brings a bonny wench.They're wanted beyond seas thae female cattle, and they're no thatscarce here. But I think o' doing better for this lassie. There's aleddy, that, unless she be a' the better bairn, is to be sent to foreignparts whether she will or no; now, I think of sending Grace to wait onher--she's a bonny lassie. Hobbie will hae a merry morning when he comeshame, and misses baith bride and gear."

  "Ay; and do you not pity him?" said the Recluse.

  "Wad he pity me were I gaeing up the Castle hill at Jeddart? [ Theplace of execution at that ancient burgh, where many of Westburnflat'sprofession have made their final exit.] And yet I rue something for thebit lassie; but he'll get anither, and little skaith dune--ane is asgude as anither. And now, you that like to hear o' splores, heard yeever o' a better ane than I hae had this morning?"

  "Air, ocean, and fire," said the Dwarf, speaking to himself, "theearthquake, the tempest, the volcano, are all mild and moderate,compared to the wrath of man. And what is this fellow, but one moreskilled than others in executing the end of his existence?--Hear me,felon, go again where I before sent thee."

  "To the Steward?"

  "Ay; and tell him, Elshender the Recluse commands him to give thee gold.But, hear me, let the maiden be discharged free and uninjured; returnher to her friends, and let her swear not to discover thy villainy."

  "Swear," said Westburnflat; "but what if she break her aith? Women arenot famous for keeping their plight. A wise man like you should kenthat.--And uninjured--wha kens what may happen were she to be left langat Tinning-Beck? Charlie Cheat-the-Woodie is a rough customer. But ifthe gold could be made up to twenty pieces, I think I could ensure herbeing wi' her friends within the twenty-four hours."

  The Dwarf took his tablets from his pocket, marked a line on them, andtore out the leaf. "There," he said, giving the robber the leaf--"But,mark me; thou knowest I am not to be fooled by thy treachery; if thoudarest to disobey my directions, thy wretched life, be sure, shallanswer it."

  "I know," said the fellow, looking down, "that you have power on earth,however you came by it; you can do what nae other man can do, baith byphysic and foresight; and the gold is shelled down when ye command, asfast as I have seen the ash-keys fall in a frosty morning in October. Iwill not disobey you."

  "Begone, then, and relieve me of thy hateful presence."

  The robber set spurs to his horse, and rode off without reply.

  Hobbie Elliot had, in the meanwhile, pursued his journey rapidly,harassed by those oppressive and indistinct fears that all was notright, which men usually term a presentiment of misfortune. Ere hereached the top of the bank from which he could look down on his ownhabitation, he was met by his nurse, a person then of great consequencein all families in Scotland, whether of the higher or middling classes.The connexion between them and their foster-children was considered atie far too dearly intimate to be broken; and it usually happened, inthe course of years, that the nurse became a resident in the familyof her foster-son, assisting in the domestic duties, and receiving allmarks of attention and regard from the heads of the family. So soonas Hobbie recognised the figure of Annaple, in her red cloak and blackhood, he could not help exclaiming to himself, "What ill luck canhae brought the auld nurse sae far frae hame, her that never stirs agun-shot frae the door-stane for ordinar?--Hout, it will just be to getcrane-berries, or whortle-berries, or some such stuff, out of the moss,to make the pies and tarts for the feast on Monday.--I cannot get thewords of that cankered auld cripple deil's-buckie out o' my head--theleast thing makes me dread some ill news.--O, Killbuck, man! were therenae deer and goats in the country besides, but ye behoved to gang andworry his creature, by a' other folk's?"

  By this time Annaple, with a brow like a tragic volume, had hobbledtowards him, and caught his horse by the bridle. The despair in her lookwas so evident as to deprive even him of the power of asking the cause."O my bairn!" she cried, "gang na forward--gang na forward--it's a sightto kill onybody, let alane thee."

  "In God's name, what's the matter?" said the astonished horseman,endeavouring to extricate his bridle from the grasp of the old woman;"for Heaven's sake, let me go and see what's the matter."

  "Ohon! that I should have lived to see the day!--The steading's a' ina low, and the bonny stack-yard lying in the red ashes, and the gear a'driven away. But gang na forward; it wad break your young heart, hinny,to see what my auld een hae seen this morning."

  "And who has dared to do this? let go my bridle, Annaple--where is mygrandmother--my sisters?--Where is Grace Armstrong?--God!--the words ofthe warlock are knelling in my ears!"

  He sprang from his horse to rid himself of Annaple's interruption, and,ascending the hill with great speed, soon came in view of the spectaclewith which she had threatened him. It was indeed a heart-breakingsight. The habitation which he had left in its seclusion, beside themountain-stream, surrounded with every evidence of rustic plenty, wasnow a wasted and blackened ruin. From amongst the shattered and sablewalls the smoke continued to rise. The turf-stack, the barn-yard, theoffices stocked with cattle, all the wealth of an upland cultivator ofthe period, of which poor Elliot possessed no common share, hadbeen laid waste or carried off in a single night. He stood a momentmotionless, and then exclaimed, "I am ruined--ruined to the ground!--Butcurse on the warld's gear--Had it not been the week before thebridal--But I am nae babe, to sit down and greet about it. If I can butfind Grace, and my grandmother, and my sisters weel, I can go to thewars in Flanders, as my gude-sire did, under the Bellenden banner, wi'auld Buccleuch. At ony rate, I will keep up a heart, or they will losetheirs a'thegither."

  Manfully strode Hobbie down the hill, resolved to suppress hisown despair, and administer consolation which he did not feel. Theneighbouring inhabitants of the dell, particularly those of his ownname, had already assembled. The younger part were in arms and clamorousfor revenge, although they knew not upon whom; the elder were takingmeasures for the relief of the distressed family. Annaple's cottage,which was situated down the brook, at some distance from the scene ofmischief, had been hastily adapted for the temporary accommodationof the old lady and her daughters, with such articles as had beencontributed by the neighbours, for very little was saved from the wreck.

  "Are we to stand here a' day, sirs," exclaimed one tall young man, "andlook at the burnt wa's of our kinsman's house? Every wreath of the reekis a blast of shame upon us! Let us to horse, and take the chase.--Whohas the nearest bloodhound?"

  "It's young Earnscliff," answered another; "and he's been on and awaywi' six horse lang syne, to see if he can track them."

  "Let us follow him then, and raise the country, and mak mair help aswe ride, and then have at the Cumberland reivers! Take, burn, andslay--they that lie nearest us shall smart first."

  "Whisht! haud your tongues, daft callants," said an old man, "ye dinnaken what ye speak about. What! wad ye raise war atween two pacificatedcountries?"

  "And what signifies deaving us wi' tales about our fathers," retortedthe young; man, "if we're to sit and see our friends' houses burnt owertheir heads, and no put out hand to revenge them? Our fathers did not dothat, I t
row?"

  "I am no saying onything against revenging Hobbie's wrang, puir chield;but we maun take the law wi' us in thae days, Simon," answered the moreprudent elder.

  "And besides," said another old man, "I dinna believe there's ane nowliving that kens the lawful mode of following a fray across the Border.Tam o' Whittram kend a' about it; but he died in the hard winter."

  "Ay," said a third, "he was at the great gathering, when they chased asfar as Thirlwall; it was the year after the fight of Philiphaugh."

  "Hout," exclaimed another of these discording counsellors, "there's naegreat skill needed; just put a lighted peat on the end of a spear, orhayfork, or siclike, and blaw a horn, and cry the gathering-word, andthen it's lawful to follow gear into England, and recover it by thestrong hand, or to take gear frae some other Englishman, providing yelift nae mair than's been lifted frae you. That's the auld Border law,made at Dundrennan, in the days of the Black Douglas, Deil ane needdoubt it. It's as clear as the sun."

  "Come away, then, lads," cried Simon, "get to your geldings, and we'lltake auld Cuddie the muckle tasker wi' us; he kens the value o' thestock and plenishing that's been lost. Hobbie's stalls and stakes shallbe fou again or night; and if we canna big up the auld house sae soon,we'se lay an English ane as low as Heugh-foot is--and that's fair play,a' the warld ower."

  This animating proposal was received with great applause by the youngerpart of the assemblage, when a whisper ran among them, "There's Hobbiehimsell, puir fallow! we'll be guided by him."

  The principal sufferer, having now reached the bottom of the hill,pushed on through the crowd, unable, from the tumultuous state of hisfeelings, to do more than receive and return the grasps of the friendlyhands by which his neighbours and kinsmen mutely expressed theirsympathy in his misfortune. While he pressed Simon of Hackburn'shand, his anxiety at length found words. "Thank ye, Simon--thank ye,neighbours--I ken what ye wad a' say. But where are they?--Where are--"He stopped, as if afraid even to name the objects of his enquiry; andwith a similar feeling, his kinsmen, without reply, pointed to the hut,into which Hobbie precipitated himself with the desperate air of one whois resolved to know the worst at once. A general and powerful expressionof sympathy accompanied him. "Ah, puir fallow--puir Hobbie!"

  "He'll learn the warst o't now!"

  "But I trust Earnscliff will get some speerings o' the puir lassie."

  Such were the exclamations of the group, who, having no acknowledgedleader to direct their motions, passively awaited the return of thesufferer, and determined to be guided by his directions.

  The meeting between Hobbie and his family was in the highest degreeaffecting. His sisters threw themselves upon him, and almost stifled himwith their caresses, as if to prevent his looking round to distinguishthe absence of one yet more beloved.

  "God help thee, my son! He can help when worldly trust is a brokenreed."--Such was the welcome of the matron to her unfortunate grandson.He looked eagerly round, holding two of his sisters by the hand, whilethe third hung about his neck--"I see you--I count you--my grandmother,Lilias, Jean, and Annot; but where is--" (he hesitated, and thencontinued, as if with an effort), "Where is Grace? Surely this is not atime to hide hersell frae me--there's nae time for daffing now."

  "O, brother!" and "Our poor Grace!" was the only answer his questionscould procure, till his grandmother rose up, and gently disengagedhim from the weeping girls, led him to a seat, and with the affectingserenity which sincere piety, like oil sprinkled on the waves, can throwover the most acute feelings, she said, "My bairn, when thy grandfatherwas killed in the wars, and left me with six orphans around me, withscarce bread to eat, or a roof to cover us, I had strength,--not of mineown--but I had strength given me to say, The Lord's will be done!--Myson, our peaceful house was last night broken into by moss-troopers,armed and masked; they have taken and destroyed all, and carried off ourdear Grace. Pray for strength to say, His will be done!"

  "Mother! mother! urge me not--I cannot--not now I am a sinful man, andof a hardened race. Masked armed--Grace carried off! Gie me my sword,and my father's knapsack--I will have vengeance, if I should go to thepit of darkness to seek it!"

  "O my bairn, my bairn! be patient under the rod. Who knows when He maylift His hand off from us? Young Earnscliff, Heaven bless him, has taenthe chase, with Davie of Stenhouse, and the first comers. I cried to lethouse and plenishing burn, and follow the reivers to recover Grace, andEarnscliff and his men were ower the Fell within three hours after thedeed. God bless him! he's a real Earnscliff; he's his father's trueson--a leal friend."

  "A true friend indeed; God bless him!" exclaimed Hobbie; "let's on andaway, and take the chase after him."

  "O, my child, before you run on danger, let me hear you but say, HISwill be done!"

  "Urge me not, mother--not now." He was rushing out, when, looking back,he observed his grandmother make a mute attitude of affliction. Hereturned hastily, threw himself into her arms, and said, "Yes, mother, ICAN say, HIS will be done, since it will comfort you."

  "May He go forth--may He go forth with you, my dear bairn; and O, may Hegive you cause to say on your return, HIS name be praised!"

  "Farewell, mother!--farewell, my dear sisters!" exclaimed Elliot, andrushed out of the house.