Page images
PDF
EPUB
[graphic]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

gody low bush Measure for Measure. a tooldin obit sih odmer

had made careful minutes of the infor lerived from these examinations. They tle light upon the story, so far as he od its purport; but the better informed as received, through means of this inon, an account of Brown's proceedings, the moment when we left him upon to Kippletringan, and the time when, y jealousy, he so rashly and unhappily ed himself before Julia Mannering, and gh brought to a fatal termination the which his appearance occasioned. in rode slowly back to Ellangowan, ponon what he had heard, and more and onvinced that the active and successful tion of this mysterious business was an nity of ingratiating himself with Hazlend Mannering, to be on no account, ne

glected. Perhaps, also, he felt his professional acuteness interested in bringing it to a successful close. It was, therefore, with great pleasure that on his return to his house from Kippletringan, he heard his servants announce hastily, « that Mac-Guffog, the thief-taker, and twa or three concurrents, had a man in hands in the kitchen waiting for his honour.»

He instantly jumped from horseback, and hasted into the house. « Send my clerk here directly, ye'll find him copying the survey of the estate in the little green parlour. Set things to rights in my study, and wheel the great leather chair up to the writing-table-set a stool for Mr Scrow. Scrow, (to the clerk, as he entered the presence-chamber,) hand down Sir George. Mackenzie on Crimes; open it at the section Vis Publica et Privata, and fold down a leaf at the passage'anent the bearing of unlawful weapons.' Now lend me a hand off with my muckle coat, and hang it up in the lobby, and bid them bring up the prisoner-I trow I will sort himbut stay, first send up Mac-Guffog.-Now, MacGuffog, where did ye find this chield?»

[ocr errors]

MacGuffog, a stout bandy-legged fellow, with a neck like a bull, a face like a fire-brand, and a most portentous squint of the left eye, began, after various contortions by way of courtesy to the Justice, to tell his story, ekeing it out by sundry sly nods and knowing winks, which appeared to bespeak an intimate correspondence of ideas between the narrator and his principal

[blocks in formation]
[ocr errors]

gowan himsell in
Well, well, n
the essentials.
Weel, so we
that I said I wan
Who?
He! pointi

the kitchen, wh So he had hi

him, and I judg thought it was believed I was

tween him and And then we betted he wo Hollands with

tried it-and Spur'em came him, took hin had his bit sl gowan, to a speer.»

ᎢᏂᎥ

derful quant at the concl the narrator

[graphic]

Your honour sees I went down to at your honour spoke of, that's kept your honour kens of, by the sea-side. e, what are you wanting here? ye'll a broom in your pocket frae Ellansays I, deel a broom will come frae for ye ken, says I, his honour Ellansell in former times-»ild he well, no occasion to be particular, tell ls.»

o we sat niffering about some brandy I wanted, till he came in.» goods

pointing with his thumb inverted to , where the prisoner was in custody. ad his griego wrapped close round judged he was not dry-handed-so I was best to speak proper, and so he was a Manks man, and I kept aye bei and her, for fear she had whistled. we began to drink about, and then I would not drink out a quartern of without drawing breath-and then he and just then Slounging Jock and Dick ame in, and we clinked the darbies on him quiet as a lamb - and now he's it sleep out, and is as fresh as a May o answer what your honour likes to This narrative, delivered with a wonantity of gesture and grimace, received nclusion the thanks and praises which tor expected.

«Had he no arms?" asked the Justice.

Aye, aye, they are never without barkers

d slashers.>>

« Any papers?»

<< This bundle,» delivering a dirty pocket-book.
« Go down stairs, then, MacGuffog, and be in
iting. The officer left the room.
The clink of irons was immediately afterwards
ard upon the stair, and in two or three minutes
man was introduced, hand-cuffed and fettered.
e was thick, brawny, and muscular, and al-
ough his shagged and grizzled hair marked an
e somewhat advanced, and his stature was ra-
er low, he appeared, nevertheless, a person
om few would have chosen to cope with in
rsonal conflict, His coarse and savage fea-
res were still flushed, and his eye still reeled

der the influence of the strong potation which
d proved the immediate cause of his seizure.
at the sleep, though short, which MacGuffog
d allowed him, and still more a sense of the
ril of his situation, had restored to him the
Il use of his faculties. The worthy judge, and
e no less estimable captive, looked at each
her steadily for a long time without speaking.
ossin apparently recognised his prisoner, but
emed at a loss how to proceed with his inves-
gation. At length he broke silence. « Sob,
ptain--this is you?-you have been a stranger
this coast for some years.»

«Stranger?» replied the other, «strange enough,

[blocks in formation]
[graphic]

--for hold me der deyvil, if I been ever efore.»

hat won't pass, Mr Captain."

at must pass, Mr Justice-sapperment!» d who will you be pleased to call yourself, For the present," said Glossin, « just until I ring some other folks to refresh your meconcerning who you are, or at least who ve been?»

hat bin I?- donner and blitzen! I bin anson, from Cuxhaven - what sall Ich

ssin took from a case which was in the ment, a pair of small pocket pistols, which ded with ostentatious care. « You may resaid he to his clerk, « and carry the people you, Scrow-but wait in the lobby within b bibus of

e clerk would have offered some remones to his patron on the danger of remainone with such a desperate character, alh iron'd beyond the possibility of active on, but Glossin waved him off impatiently. à he had left the room, the Justice took hort turns through the apartment, then his chair opposite to the prisoner, so as to ont him fully, placed the pistols before him adiness, and said in a steady voice, «< You irk Hatteraick of Flushing, are you not?" e prisoner turned his eye instinctively to oor, as if he apprehended some one was

« PreviousContinue »