Викрадений

           “It’slikemakingmeatraitor!”

           “Now,Alan,man!”criedJames.“Lookthingsintheface!He’llbepaperedanyway;MungoCampbell’llbesuretopaperhim;whatmattersifIpaperhimtoo?Andthen,Alan,Iamamanthathasafamily.”Andthen,afteralittlepauseonbothsides,“And,Alan,it’llbeajuryofCampbells,”saidhe.

           “There’sonething,”saidAlan,musingly,“thatnaebodykenshisname.”

           “Noryettheyshallnae,Alan!There’smyhandonthat,”criedJames,foralltheworldasifhehadreallyknownmynameandwasforegoingsomeadvantage.“Butjustthehabithewasin,andwhathelookedlike,andhisage,andthelike?Icouldnaewelldoless.”

           “Iwonderatyourfather’sson,”criedAlan,sternly.“Wouldyeselltheladwithagift?Wouldyechangehisclothesandthenbetrayhim?”

           “No,no,Alan,”saidJames.“No,no:thehabithetookoff—thehabitMungosawhimin.”ButIthoughtheseemedcrestfallen;indeed,hewasclutchingateverystraw,andallthetime,Idaresay,sawthefacesofhishereditaryfoesonthebench,andinthejury-box,andthegallowsinthebackground.

           “Well,sir,”saysAlan,turningtome,“whatsayyetothat?Yearehereunderthesafeguardofmyhonour;andit’smyparttoseenothingdonebutwhatshallpleaseyou.”

           “Ihavebutonewordtosay,”saidI;“fortoallthisdisputeIamaperfectstranger.Buttheplaincommon-senseistosettheblamewhereitbelongs,andthatisonthemanwhofiredtheshot.