Викрадений
Chapter 12
Butby-and-by,thatcametohisearsthatIhavejusttoldyou;howthepoorcommonsofAppin,thefarmersandthecroftersandtheboumen,werewringingtheirveryplaidstogetasecondrent,andsenditover-seasforArdshielandhispoorbairns.Whatwasityecalledit,whenItoldye?”
“Icalleditnoble,Alan,”saidI.
“AndyoulittlebetterthanacommonWhig!”criesAlan.“ButwhenitcametoColinRoy,theblackCampbellbloodinhimranwild.Hesatgnashinghisteethatthewinetable.What!shouldaStewartgetabiteofbread,andhimnotbeabletopreventit?Ah!RedFox,ifeverIholdyouatagun’send,theLordhavepityuponye!”(Alanstoppedtoswallowdownhisanger.)“Well,David,whatdoeshedo?Hedeclaresallthefarmstolet.And,thinkshe,inhisblackheart,‘I’llsoongetothertenantsthat’lloverbidtheseStewarts,andMaccolls,andMacrobs’(fortheseareallnamesinmyclan,David);‘andthen,’thinkshe,‘ArdshielwillhavetoholdhisbonnetonaFrenchroadside.’”
“Well,”saidI,“whatfollowed?”
Alanlaiddownhispipe,whichhehadlongsincesufferedtogoout,andsethistwohandsuponhisknees.
