Викрадений
Chapter 23
Therewasnoendtohisquestions;heputthemasearnestlyasachild;andatsomeoftheanswers,laughedoutofallboundsofreason,andwouldbreakoutagainlaughingatthemerememory,hoursafterthebarberwasgone.
Tobesure,theremighthavebeenapurposeinhisquestions;forthoughhewasthussequestered,andliketheotherlandedgentlemenofScotland,strippedbythelateActofParliamentoflegalpowers,hestillexercisedapatriarchaljusticeinhisclan.Disputeswerebroughttohiminhishiding-holetobedecided;andthemenofhiscountry,whowouldhavesnappedtheirfingersattheCourtofSession,laidasiderevengeandpaiddownmoneyatthebarewordofthisforfeitedandhuntedoutlaw.Whenhewasangered,whichwasoftenenough,hegavehiscommandsandbreathedthreatsofpunishmentlikeanyking;andhisgilliestrembledandcrouchedawayfromhimlikechildrenbeforeahastyfather.Witheachofthem,asheentered,heceremoniouslyshookhands,bothpartiestouchingtheirbonnetsatthesametimeinamilitarymanner.Altogether,IhadafairchancetoseesomeoftheinnerworkingsofaHighlandclan;andthiswithaproscribed,fugitivechief;hiscountryconquered;thetroopsridinguponallsidesinquestofhim,sometimeswithinamileofwherehelay;andwhentheleastoftheraggedfellowswhomheratedandthreatened,couldhavemadeafortunebybetrayinghim.
