Похищенный
Chapter 25
Youshouldunderstand,itwasthencloseuponthetimeofAlan’scoming;thetwowerelittlelikelytoagree;andyetifwesentwordorsoughttomakeasignal,itwassuretoarousesuspicioninamanundersodarkacloudastheMacgregor.
Hecameinwithagreatshowofcivility,butlikeamanamonginferiors;tookoffhisbonnettoMrs.Maclaren,butclappeditonhisheadagaintospeaktoDuncan;andhavingthussethimself(ashewouldhavethought)inaproperlight,cametomybedsideandbowed.
“Iamgiventoknow,sir,”sayshe,“thatyournameisBalfour.”
“TheycallmeDavidBalfour,”saidI,“atyourservice.”
“Iwouldgiveyemynameinreturn,sir,”hereplied,“butit’sonesomewhatblownuponoflatedays;andit’llperhapssufficeifItellyethatIamownbrothertoJamesMoreDrummondorMacgregor,ofwhomyewillscarcehavefailedtohear.”
“No,sir,”saidI,alittlealarmed;“noryetofyourfather,Macgregor-Campbell.”AndIsatupandbowedinbed;forIthoughtbesttocomplimenthim,incasehewasproudofhavinghadanoutlawtohisfather.
Hebowedinreturn.“ButwhatIamcometosay,sir,”hewenton,“isthis.Intheyear‘45,mybrotherraisedapartofthe‘Gregara’andmarchedsixcompaniestostrikeastrokeforthegoodside;andthesurgeonthatmarchedwithourclanandcuredmybrother’slegwhenitwasbrokeninthebrushatPrestonPans,wasagentlemanofthesamenamepreciselyasyourself.
