Joseph Wilmot, or, The Memoirs of a Man-Servant — page 258: what you’re looking at

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

JOSEPH WILMOT; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF A MAN-SERVANT. 245 ene ee der Carrondale. Those reasons were to the effect, The Baronet nodded good-naturedly to the old that he was the guardian of his niece and had| Dominie, as he sat down in the boat with Mr. formed plans for the realization of which he trusted | Duncansby by his side, and his two valets behind: to her obedience—that his son was deeply ena- | the bargemen let their oars fall from a perpendi- moured of Miss Vennachar, and that he could not | cular position into the water with the nicest accord by an act of his own stamp that well-beloved |—and the boat sped away from the jetty. The son’s unhappiness—that moreover, apart from all| Baronet’s equipage was waiting on the opposite those considerations, he had his special reasons for | side, it having been sent round thither from the wishing his niece to marry within the sphere of | castle an hour previously; and the Chief’s party his own clan.” lingered on the jetty and the bank, until the boat “Ah! I comprehend!” I exclaimed. Inch) reached the other shore and the carriage dashed Methglin has renounced the hereditary feud with | away. the Carrondales—but merely in words: the spirit; “The bargemen keep time admirably,” said the thereof continues to lurk in his heart—and he | Chief, while the boat was as yet progressing across would not wish to behold a scion of Inch Methglin | the loch. | espouse a Carrondale !” “Tt’s just that, Inch Methglin,” said the “There is something, no doubt, in all that,” ob- | Dominie. “But really now, if you would only served Mr. Duncansby. “God bless you, young | consider my proposition for a bridge——By the man, these Highland Chiefs—or at least most of | bye, I forgot to show you that letter which I received them—are inveterate and incorrigible in some of | from Saltcoats, to whom I wrote to ask his opinion their hereditary prejudices. There is even that | about the bridge a stupid old Dominie, who though no Chief at all,| “Mr. Clackmannan,” said the Chief proudly, yet is as proud of being the nearest kinsman to—— | “ with whatsoever degree of patience I may listen what the deuce is the name?” to your suggestions, not all the Saltcoats on the “Mr. Knockmedownarder, Laird of Clackman- | face of the earth shall induce me to ruin the nanauchnish,” I said with a smile. beauty of this seene——” “Heavens! how glibly all these terrible long| “It’s not just that, Inch Methglin,” interposed words slip from your tongue, Joseph,” exclaimed | the Dominie, as he took a huge pinch of snuff. Mr. Duncansby: “you are half a Highlander | “It’s a matter of convenience. Saltcoats would already. But to return to the topic from which I | have been here to see me long ago, only that he have wandered somewhat. The Chief stated his} has dreaded the water ever since he tumbled legs reasons to the effect which I have described, in | foremost no, it must have been head first— refusing Sir Alexander’s proposal: whereupon Sir | into the Widow Glenbucket’s water tank. I will Alexander bowed—and the interview, having| tell you how it was———But first about the lasted but a few minutes, came to an end. What | bridge——” the Baronet’s views now are, must be guided by| The Chief turned away haughtily, disdaining Miss Vennachar herself ; and I dare say,” added Mr. | any farther discussion on the subject. Duncansby, with a significant look anda smile at| In the forenoon of that very day, Cameron me, “she will discover a medium for communicat- | drew me aside, and said with a sort of mysterious ing her sentiments.” joy, “ Well, Joseph, it’s to take place next week !” At this moment a domestic knocked at the| “What is to take place?” I asked, though at door to announce that Sir Alexander Carrondale | once smitten with an idea of the intelligence which was in readiness to depart; and Mr. Duncansby, | was about to be communicated. having shaken me warmly by the hand, issued; “What is to take place?” he ejaculated. “But forth from the chamber. I followed with his cloak, | of course you can’t know or guess till I tell you. as an excuse to witness the embarkation; and on | Why, the marriage, to be sure! The Chief told descending to the hall, found Sir Alexander, with | me so just now; and I dare say that by to-morrow the Chief and Lennox, the Dominie, and the male | it will be no secret——” members of the clan. The ground was still too| “ Not if you, Cameron, draw every one aside in damp for the ladies to walk forth; and therefore | succession, to buzz it in their ears,’ Isaid. “ But they remained in the drawing-room. The party | don’t be offended—I meant no harm. Is it really proceeded towards the jetty,—Sir Alexander walk- | fixed?” ing between the Chief and Lennox, with all the! “Itisto take place on the eighth of December,” well-bred ease and calm dignity as if nothing dis-/ responded Cameron, “as sure as you are alive. agreeable had taken place that forenoon. The\| Don’t you see? the Chief naturally avails himself jetty was reached ; and as I gave Mr. Duncansby | of the presence of all the clan here, for the purpose his cloak, he threw upon me another farewell look | of solemnizing the nuptials. Immense prepara- of kindness. Sir Alexander shook hands with the | tions are to be made: we shall have a glorious time of it. I don’t think that Miss Vennachar cares any more about Sir Alexander, even if she really ever did; and after all, the suspicions of Mr. Lennox might have been unfounded You re- member that scene off the day of the excursion?” “Yes. But why do you fancy that Miss Ven- nachar cares nothing for Sir Alexander P” “Oh! simply because while he was here she was constantly seated by the side of Mr. Lennox.” ———— ee Chief, with Lennox, and with the Dominie—bowed cordially to the male members of the clan—and descended into the barge, followed by the lawyer and the valets. “When I bethink me,” the Dominie called out from the top of the jetty, “I forgot to write those letters of introduction which I promised you, Sir Alexander, to my friend Saltcoats and the Laird of Tintosquashdale who is not Tintosquashdale any longer, but Shankspindles. How wasitIforgot| “Ah! that’s a great proof,” I observed, scarcely them ? I shall recollect presently and I will | able to repress a smile of irony, as lL recollected write, Sir Alexander, and let you know all about it.” | that Mr. Duncansby had described how Mr. Len- —————— COO SS CORNICLO@ S (CO) A