Похищенный
Chapter 25
“That’sakittlepoint,”returnedtheother.“Theremaybetwowordstosaytothat.ButIthinkIwillhaveheardthatyouareamanofyoursword?”
“Unlessyewereborndeaf,Mr.Macgregor,yewillhaveheardagooddealmorethanthat,”saysAlan.“IamnottheonlymanthatcandrawsteelinAppin;andwhenmykinsmanandcaptain,Ardshiel,hadatalkwithagentlemanofyourname,notsomanyyearsback,IcouldneverhearthattheMacgregorhadthebestofit.”
“Doyemeanmyfather,sir?”saysRobin.
“Well,Iwouldnaewonder,”saidAlan.“ThegentlemanIhaveinmymindhadtheill-tastetoclapCampbelltohisname.”
“Myfatherwasanoldman,”returnedRobin.
“Thematchwasunequal.Youandmewouldmakeabetterpair,sir.”
“Iwasthinkingthat,”saidAlan.
Iwashalfoutofbed,andDuncanhadbeenhangingattheelbowofthesefightingcocks,readytointerveneupontheleastoccasion.Butwhenthatwordwasuttered,itwasacaseofnowornever;andDuncan,withsomethingofawhitefacetobesure,thrusthimselfbetween.
“Gentlemen,”saidhe,“Iwillhavebeenthinkingofaverydifferentmatter,whateffer.Herearemypipes,andhereareyoutwogentlemenwhoarebaithacclaimedpipers.It’sanaulddisputewhichoneofye’sthebest.Herewillbeabrawchancetosettleit.”
“Why,sir,”saidAlan,stilladdressingRobin,fromwhomindeedhehadnotsomuchasshiftedhiseyes,noryetRobinfromhim,“why,sir,”saysAlan,“IthinkIwillhaveheardsomesoughofthesort.
