Викрадений
Chapter 12
Itwasatthistimeweheardeachother’sstories,whichwasthemoreimportanttome,asIgainedsomeknowledgeofthatwildHighlandcountryonwhichIwassosoontoland.Inthosedays,socloseonthebackofthegreatrebellion,itwasneedfulamanshouldknowwhathewasdoingwhenhewentupontheheather.
ItwasIthatshowedtheexample,tellinghimallmymisfortune;whichheheardwithgreatgood-nature.Only,whenIcametomentionthatgoodfriendofmine,Mr.Campbelltheminister,Alanfiredupandcriedoutthathehatedallthatwereofthatname.
“Why,”saidI,“heisamanyoushouldbeproudtogiveyourhandto.”
“IknownothingIwouldhelpaCampbellto,”sayshe,“unlessitwasaleadenbullet.Iwouldhuntallofthatnamelikeblackcocks.IfIlaydying,Iwouldcrawluponmykneestomychamberwindowforashotatone.”
“Why,Alan,”Icried,“whatailsyeattheCampbells?”
“Well,”sayshe,“yekenverywellthatIamanAppinStewart,andtheCampbellshavelongharriedandwastedthoseofmyname;ay,andgotlandsofusbytreachery—butneverwiththesword,”hecriedloudly,andwiththewordbroughtdownhisfistuponthetable.ButIpaidthelessattentiontothis,forIknewitwasusuallysaidbythosewhohavetheunderhand.“There’smorethanthat,”hecontinued,“andallinthesamestory:lyingwords,lyingpapers,tricksfitforapeddler,andtheshowofwhat’slegaloverall,tomakeamanthemoreangry.
