The Captain’s Children

           LordGlenarvan’sfortunewasenormous,andhespentitentirelyindoinggood.Hiskindheartednesswasevengreaterthanhisgenerosity,fortheoneknewnobounds,whiletheother,ofnecessity,haditslimits.AsLordofLussand"laird"ofMalcolm,herepresentedhiscountyintheHouseofLords;but,withhisJacobiteideas,hedidnotcaremuchforthefavoroftheHouseofHanover,andhewaslookeduponcoldlybytheStatepartyinEngland,becauseofthetenacitywithwhichheclungtothetraditionsofhisforefathers,andhisenergeticresistancetothepoliticalencroachmentsofSoutherners.Andyethewasnotamanbehindthetimes,andtherewasnothinglittleornarrow-mindedabouthim;butwhilealwayskeepingopenhisancestralcountytoprogress,hewasatrueScotchmanatheart,anditwasforthehonorofScotlandthathecompetedintheyachtracesoftheRoyalThamesYachtClub.

           EdwardGlenarvanwasthirty-twoyearsofage.Hewastallinperson,andhadrathersternfeatures;buttherewasanexceedingsweetnessinhislook,andastampofHighlandpoetryabouthiswholebearing.Hewasknowntobebravetoexcess,andfullofdaringandchivalry—aFer-gusofthenineteenthcentury;buthisgoodnessexcelledeveryotherquality,andhewasmorecharitablethanSt.Martinhimself,forhewouldhavegiventhewholeofhiscloaktoanyofthepoorHighlanders.

           Hehadscarcelybeenmarriedthreemonths,andhisbridewasMissHelenaTuffnell,thedaughterofWilliamTuffnell,thegreattraveler,oneofthemanyvictimsofgeographicalscienceandofthepassionfordiscovery.MissHelenadidnotbelongtoanoblefamily,butshewasScotch,andthatwasbetterthanallnobilityintheeyesofLordGlenarvan;andshewas,moreover,acharming,high-souled,religiousyoungwoman.