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'From Russia。 Never dismounted between Moscow and Aberdeen。 The
ice is bearing to…night。'
And the baron laughed inside the upturned collar of his cloak； for
he knew that strangely…exaggerated stories were current about his
feats in the saddle。
'That's a lang ride； my lord； and a sliddery。 And what's yer
lordship's wull？'
'Muckle ye care aboot my lordship to stand jawin' there in a night
like this！ Is nobody going to take my horse？'
'I beg yer lordship's pardon。 Caumill！Yer lordship never said ye
wanted yer lordship's horse ta'en。 I thocht ye micht be gaein' on
to The Bothie。Tak' Black Geordie here； Caumill。Come in to the
parlour； my lord。'
'How d'ye do； Miss Naper？' said Lord Rothie； as he entered the room。
'Here's this jade of a sister of yours asking me why I don't go home
to The Bothie； when I choose to stop and water here。'
'What'll ye tak'； my lord？Letty； fess the brandy。'
'Oh！ damn your brandy！ Bring me a gill of good Glendronach。'
'Rin； Letty。 His lordship's cauld。I canna rise to offer ye the
airm…cheir； my lord。'
'I can get one for myself； thank heaven！'
'Lang may yer lordship return sic thanks。'
'For I'm only new begun； ye think； Miss Naper。 Well； I don't often
trouble heaven with my affairs。 By Jove！ I ought to be heard when
I do。'
'Nae doobt ye will； my lord； whan ye seek onything that's fit to be
gien ye。'
'True。 Heaven's gifts are seldom much worth the asking。'
'Haud yer tongue； my lord； and dinna bring doon a judgment upo' my
hoose； for it wad be missed oot o' Rothieden；'
'You're right there； Miss Naper。 And here comes the whisky to stop
my mouth。'
The Baron of Rothie sat for a few minutes with his feet on the
fender before Miss Letty's blazing fire； without speaking； while he
sipped the whisky neat from a wine…glass。 He was a man about the
middle height； rather full…figured； muscular and active； with a
small head； and an eye whose brightness had not yet been dimmed by
the sensuality which might be read in the condition rather than
frame of his countenance。 But while he spoke so pleasantly to the
Miss Napiers； and his forehead spread broad and smooth over the
twinkle of his hazel eye； there was a sharp curve on each side of
his upper lip； half…way between the corner and the middle； which
reminded one of the same curves in the lip of his ancestral boar's
head； where it was lifted up by the protruding tusks。 These curves
disappeared； of course； when he smiled； and his smile； being a
lord's； was generally pronounced irresistible。 He was good…natured；
and nowise inclined to stand upon his rank； so long as he had his
own way。
'Any customers by the mail to…night； Miss Naper？' he asked； in a
careless tone。
'Naebody partic'lar； my lord。'
'I thought ye never let anybody in that wasn't particularly
particular。 No foot…passengerseh？'
'Hoot； my lord！ that's twa year ago。 Gin I had jaloosed him to be a
fren' o' yer lordship's； forby bein' a lord himsel'； ye ken as weel
's I du that I wadna hae sent him ower the gait to Luckie Happit's；
whaur he wadna even be ower sure o' gettin' clean sheets。 But gin
lords an' lords' sons will walk afit like ither fowk； wha's to ken
them frae ither fowk？'
'Well； Miss Naper； he was no lord at all。 He was nothing but a
factor…body doon frae Glenbucket。'
'There was sma' hairm dune than； my lord。 I'm glaid to hear 't。
But what'll yer lordship hae to yer supper？'
'I would like a dish o' your chits and nears （sweetbreads and
kidneys）。'
'Noo； think o' that！' returned the landlady； laughing。 'You great
fowk wad hae the verra coorse o' natur' turned upside doon to shuit
yersels。 Wha ever heard o' caure （calves） at this time o' the
year？'
'Well； anything you like。 Who was it came by the mail； did you
say？'
'I said naebody partic'lar； my lord。'
'Well； I'll just go and have a look at Black Geordie。'
'Verra weel； my lord。Letty； rin an' luik efter him； and as sune 's
he's roon' the neuk； tell Lizzie no to say a word aboot the leddy。
As sure 's deith he's efter her。 Whaur cud he hae heard tell o'
her？'
Lord Rothie came； a moment after； sauntering into the bar…parlour；
where Lizzie； the third Miss Napier； a red…haired； round…eyed；
white…toothed woman of forty； was making entries in a book。
'She's a bonnie lassie that； that came in the coach to…night； they
say； Miss Lizzie。'
'As ugly 's sin； my lord；' answered Lizzie。
'I hae seen some sin 'at was nane sae ugly； Miss Lizzie。'
'She wad hae clean scunnert （disgusted） ye； my lord。 It's a mercy
ye didna see her。'
'If she be as ugly as all that； I would just like to see her。'
Miss Lizzie saw she had gone too far。
'Ow； deed！ gin yer lordship wants to see her； ye may see her at yer
wull。 I s' gang and tell her。'
And she rose as if to go。
'No； no。 Nothing of the sort； Miss Lizzie。 Only I heard that she
was bonnie； and I wanted to see her。 You know I like to look at a
pretty girl。'
'That's ower weel kent； my lord。'
'Well； there's no harm in that； Miss Lizzie。'
'There's no harm in that； my lord； though yer lordship says 't。'
The facts were that his lordship had been to the county…town； some
forty miles off； and Black Geordie had been sent to Hillknow to meet
him； for in any weather that would let him sit； he preferred
horseback to every other mode of travelling； though he seldom would
be followed by a groom。 He had posted to Hillknow； and had dined
with a friend at the inn。 The coach stopping to change horses； he
had caught a glimpse of a pretty face； as he thought； from its
window； and had hoped to overtake the coach before it reached
Rothieden。 But stopping to drink another bottle； he had failed； and
it was on the merest chance of seeing that pretty face that he
stopped at The Boar's Head。 In all probability； had the Marquis seen
the lady； he would not have thought her at all such a beauty as she
appeared in the eyes of Dooble Sanny； nor； I venture to think； had
he thought as the shoemaker did； would he yet have dared to address
her in other than the words of such respect as he could still feel
in the presence of that which was more noble than himself。
Whether or not on his visit to the stable he found anything amiss
with Black Geordie； I cannot tell； but he now begged Miss Lizzie to
have a bedroom prepared for him。
It happened to be the evening of Friday； one devoted by some of the
townspeople to a symposium。 To this； knowing that the talk will
throw a glimmer on several matters； I will now introduce my reader；
as a spectator through the reversed telescope of my history。
A few of the more influential of the inhabitants had grown； rather
than formed themselves； into a kind of club； which met weekly at The
Boar's Head。 Although they had no exclusive right to the room in
which they sat； they generally managed to retain exclusive
possession of it； for if any supposed objectionable person entered；
they always got rid of him； sometimes without his being aware of how
they had contrived to make him so uncomfortable。 They began to
gather about seven o'clock； when it was expected that boiling water
would be in readiness for the compound generally called toddy；
sometimes punch。 As soon as six were assembled； one was always
voted into the chair。
On the present occasion； Mr。 Innes； the school…master； was
unanimously elected to that honour。 He was a hard…featured；
sententious； snuffy individual； of some learning； and great
respectability。
I omit the political talk with which their intercommunications
began； for however interesting at the time is the scaffolding by
which existing institutions arise； the poles and beams when gathered
again in the builder's yard are scarcely a subject for the artist。
The first to lead the way towards matters of nearer personality was
William MacGregor； the linen manufacturer； a man who possessed a
score of hand…looms or sohalf of which； from the advance of cotton
and the decline of linen…wear； now stood idlebut who had already a
sufficient deposit in the hands of Mr。 Thomson the bankeragent；
that is； for the county…bankto secure him against any necessity
for taking to cotton shirts himself； which were an abomination and
offence unpardonable in his eyes。
'Can ye tell me； Mr。 Cocker；' he said； 'what mak's Sandy； Lord
Rothie； or Wrathy； or what suld he be ca'd？tak' to The Bothie at a
time like this； whan there's neither huntin'； nor fishin'； nor
shutin'； nor onything o' the kin' aboot han' to be playacks till
him； the bonnie bairn'cep' it be otters an' sic like？'
William was a shrunken old man； with white whiskers and a black wig；
a keen black eye； always in search of the ludicrous in other people；
and a mouth ever on the move； as if masticating something comical。
'You know j