Викрадений
Chapter 15
ThiswasperhapsarichmanforMull;hewouldhavescarcebeenthoughtsointhesouth;forittookallhehad—thewholehousewasturnedupsidedown,andaneighbourbroughtundercontribution,beforehecouldscrapetogethertwentyshillingsinsilver.Theoddshillinghekeptforhimself,protestinghecouldillaffordtohavesogreatasumofmoneylying“lockedup.”Forallthathewasverycourteousandwellspoken,madeusbothsitdownwithhisfamilytodinner,andbrewedpunchinafinechinabowl,overwhichmyrascalguidegrewsomerrythatherefusedtostart.
Iwasforgettingangry,andappealedtotherichman(HectorMacleanwashisname),whohadbeenawitnesstoourbargainandtomypaymentofthefiveshillings.ButMacleanhadtakenhisshareofthepunch,andvowedthatnogentlemanshouldleavehistableafterthebowlwasbrewed;sotherewasnothingforitbuttositandhearJacobitetoastsandGaelicsongs,tillallweretipsyandstaggeredofftothebedorthebarnfortheirnight’srest.
Nextday(thefourthofmytravels)wewereupbeforefiveupontheclock;butmyrascalguidegottothebottleatonce,anditwasthreehoursbeforeIhadhimclearofthehouse,andthen(asyoushallhear)onlyforaworsedisappointment.
AslongaswewentdownaheatheryvalleythatlaybeforeMr.Maclean’shouse,allwentwell;onlymyguidelookedconstantlyoverhisshoulder,andwhenIaskedhimthecause,onlygrinnedatme.
