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be the cause of it, by springing full upon those who should appear when the doors opened, and forcing his way through all opposition into the street; and such was the appearance of strength and agility displayed in his frame, and of determination in his look and manner, that I did not doubt a moment but that he might get clear through his opponents, unless they employed fatal means to stop his purpose. It was a period of awful suspense betwixt the opening of the outward gate and that of the door of the apartment, when there appearedno guard with bayonets fixed, or watch with clubs, bills, or partisans, but a good-looking young woman, with grogram petticoats, tucked up for trudging through the streets, and holding a lantern in her hand. This female ushered in a more important personage, in form stout, short, and somewhat corpulent; and by dignity, as it soon appeared, a magistrate, bob-wigged, bustling, and breathless with peevish impatience. My conductor, at his appearance, drew back as if to escape observation; but he could not elude the penetrating twinkle with which this dignitary reconnoitred the whole apartment. A bonny thing it is, and a beseeming, that I should be kept at the door half an hour, Captain Stanchells, said he, addressing the principal jailor, who now showed himself at the door as if in attendance on the great man, knocking as hard to get into the tolbooth as onybody else wad to get out of it, could that avail them, poor fallen creatures!And hows this?hows this?strangers in the jail after lock-up hours, and on the Sabbath evening!I shall look after this, Stanchells, you may depend ontKeep the door locked, and Ill speak to these gentlemen in a gliffingBut first I maun hae a crack wi an auld acquaintance here.Mr. Owen, Mr. Owen, hows a wi ye, man? Pretty well in body, I thank you, Mr. Jarvie, drawled out poor Owen, but sore afflicted in spirit. Nae doubt, nae doubtay, ayits an awfu whummleand for ane that held his head sae high toohuman nature, human natureAy, ay, were a subject to a downcome. Mr. Osbaldistone is a gude honest gentleman; but I aye said he was ane o them wad make a spune or spoil a horn, as my father the worthy deacon used to say. The deacon used to say to me, Nickyoung Nick (his name was Nicol as weel as mine; sae folk cad us in their daffin young Nick and auld Nick)Nick, said he, never put out your arm farther than ye can draw it easily back again. I hae said sae to Mr. Osbaldistone, and he didna seem to take it athegether sae kind as I wished,but it was weel meantweel meant. This discourse, delivered with prodigious volubility, and a great appearance of self-complacency, as he recollected his own advice and predictions, gave little promise of assistance at the hands of Mr. Jarvie. Yet it soon appeared rather to proceed from a total want of delicacy than any deficiency of real kindness; for when Owen expressed himself somewhat hurt that these things should be recalled to memory in his present situation, the Glaswegian took him by the hand, and bade him Cheer up a gliff! Dye think I wad hae comed out at twal oclock at night, and amaist broken the Lords-day, just to tell a faen man o his backslidings? Na, na, thats no Bailie Jarvies gate, nor wast his worthy fathers the deacon afore him. Why, man! its my rule never to think on warldly business on the Sabbath, and though I did a I could to keep your note that I gat this morning out o my head, yet I thought mair on it a day, than on the preachingAnd its my rule to gang to my bed wi the yellow curtains preceesely at ten oclockunless I were eating a haddock wi a neighbour, or a neighbour wi meask the lass-quean there, if it isna a fundamental rule in my household; and here hae I sitten up reading gude books, and gaping as if I wad swallow St. Enox Kirk, till it chappit twal, whilk was a lawfu hour to gie a look at my ledger just to see how things stood between us; and then, as time and tide wait for no man, I made the lass get the lantern, and came slipping my ways here to see what can be dune anent your affairs. Bailie Jarvie can command entrance into the tolbooth at ony hour, day or night; sae could my father the deacon in his time, honest man, praise to his memory. Although Owen groaned at the mention of the ledger, leading me grievously to fear that here also the balance stood in the wrong column; and although the worthy magistrates speech expressed much self- complacency, and some ominous triumph in his own superior judgment, yet it was blended with a sort of frank and blunt good-nature, from which I could not help deriving some hopes. He requested to see |
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