Joseph Wilmot, or, The Memoirs of a Man-Servant — page 211: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

198 JOSEPH WILMOT; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF A MAN-SERVANT., Methglin, then all the clan assembles: or when | clan, so to speak, has removed the cause of Inch there’s a wedding, the clan meets to rejoice—and | Methglin’s animosity, there being nothing left to when there’s a death, the clan assembles to mourn. | entertain any animosity against. It is an old Bridals and funerals have immense processions; | story, and a frequent one with these Highland and there is the clanagain. God bless you! there | chiefs. The late Sir Alexander Carrondale died is not a member of the clan but is as proud of the | some twenty years ago, leaving his son—an only Chief and as jealous of his honour as he himself | child—the present Sir Alexander, a beggar, or can possibly be.” nearly so—at least, dependent upon a few friends - “Ts he a haughty, stern, overbearing man?” I | who did their best for him.” inquired, rendered somewhat uneasy by this de- “Then you do know, sir,” I observed, “that the scription of the great personage into whose service | unfortunate heir to the late baronet is alive ?—for .I was about to enter. you speak of him as the present Sir Alexander “ Haughty he is—but only with a certain degree | Carrondale, though you just now remarked that he of haughtiness,” responded Duncansby ; —“ the | is not to be found.” pride of chieftainship, of wealth, and of the great “ Indeed, you are uncommonly sharp, young consideration which he enjoys. But stern and ! gentleman!” ejaculated Mr. Duncansby, with a overbearing, in the positive acceptance of those | good-humoured chuckle. ‘Perhaps you are ar- terms, he isnot, He has the repute of being a/ticled to an attorney? No! Well, you ought to warm-hearted generous man, whose good actions | be; for you have caught up a lawyer who flatters far outweigh his evil ones—if there be any of the | himself that he is as shrewd as here and there latter at all. “Indeed, on this last-named point} one. Come, I don’t mind telling you—since I there is nothing I know of to his disparagement— | have gone so far, and you are so sharp—that the unless it be the violence of the hatred cherished | present Sir Alexander Carrondale is alive; and by him against a rival clan. But this rather} what’s more, I know where he is. But I am the belongs to times past.” only man in the universe, besides himself, who has “Then the feud is doubtless made up?” I) this knowledge. I mustn’t say any more. He observed, anxious to learn as much as I could| has his own good reasons for being abroad in the gather relative to Mr. Vennachar’s character. world under another name. Pride, for instance— “Not so,” rejomed Mr. Duncansby. “The | true Highland pride—which will not allow him to animosity has been traditionary : it commenced in | bear the family name and distinction with his beg- far back ages, and lost nothing of its rancour by | gared fortunes !” this transmission from generation to generation. “How sad,” I observed, “to reflect that the Scotch feuds, young gentleman, are of this cha- | extravagances of a father have perhaps ruined a racter; and no feud was ever more bitter—not | son.” even that of the Macdonalds of Glencoe and the “Tt is just that,’ responded Mr. Duncansby ; Campbells of Argyle—than the one between Inch | “though the grandfather may have helped to do Methglin and Carrondale.” it—and perhaps the great-grandfather commenced “T think, sir,” I remarked, “ that I heard you | the work of ruin. But we are siill fighting a hard mention the name of Carrondale just now, at the | battle in the law-courts: it has been going on for coach-offiee P” nearly twenty years 2 “Yes: the village which gives its name tothe| ‘And is perhaps interminable ?”’ I remarked. estate—or to which the estate gave its name—for| ‘Well, not quite,” returned Mr. Duncansby. T am sure I cannot tell you which, though heaven “The fact is, I maintain, on behalf of the present | | knows I have pored often and long enough over | Sir Alexander, that the estates were so strictly en- the mouldering archives and dusty parchments | tailed that his father and grandfather had no connected with the pxoperty But, as I was) right to do what they did do—namely, give cer- saying, the village of Carrondale is my destination. | tain powers to the mortgagees who advanced enor- You must know, young gentleman, that I am a| mous sums of money upon the property. When serivener and writer to the signet—or what you | the late Baronet died, these mortagees all pounced would term in your native country, a lawyer and! upon the estates: whereupon we went to law. solicitor, Well, I have been attorney to the Car- | Now do you understand? Iam endeavouring to rondale estate—as my father was before me, and | get back the estates for the rightful heir; while my grandfather before him; and that perhaps is | the mortgagees are defending their claims. The one of the reasons why I do not know Mr. Ven-| matter has been before the courts twenty times in nachar of Inch Methglin.” as many years: but no decision has yet been given.. “What! is it possible,’ I exclaimed, again | It is to come on again this year; and perhaps somewhat disgusted—or rather, alarmed at the | judgment will at last be rendered.” character of my new master, “that he carries his! “And on which side do you think the decision animosity against the Carrondale clan so far as to | will be given?” I inquired—immediately adding, include within its scope whomsoever But, Ah!” | “if the question be not impertinent ?” I ejaculated, as a thought struck me, “ perhaps “Why, young gentleman,” exclaimed Mr. Dune you yourself are a member of the Carrondales?” | cansby, with a laugh, “ you are not so sharp after “Indeed, but I am not,” responded Mr. Dun- | all as I took you to be. If I did not hope I was eansby. “Tam a Lowlander, and have no clan- | playing a game which had at least equal chances ship adhesion at all. The truth is, young gentle- | in my favour, I should not persevere in it, All man, the Carrondale clan may be said to have | the costs—and they are not a trifle—are as yet ceased to exist: for the estates are all within the , out of my pocket; and it would bea grievous loss strong gripe of the law, and the Chief is nowhere | of money in the long ran if I were to fail. So to be found. This has been the case for some | you see, I live on in hope, both for myself and Sir years; and thus is it that the extinction of the | Alexander Carrondale.” 2 eee ee COMmiclboookS.sE (0)