Catriona

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"He is to be inquired of at the house of one Sprott, an honest Scotch
merchant," says she; and then with the same breath, "I am wishing to
thank you very much - you are a brave friend to me."

"It will be time enough when I get you to your father," said I, little
thinking that I spoke so true. "I can tell him a fine tale of a loyal
daughter."

"O, I do not think I will be a loyal girl, at all events," she cried,
with a great deal of painfulness in the expression. "I do not think my
heart is true."

"Yet there are very few that would have made that leap, and all to obey
a father's orders," I observed.

"I cannot have you to be thinking of me so," she cried again. "When
you had done that same, how would I stop behind? And at all events
that was not all the reasons." Whereupon, with a burning face, she
told me the plain truth upon her poverty.

"Good guide us!" cried I, "what kind of daft-like proceeding is this,
to let yourself be launched on the continent of Europe with an empty
purse - I count it hardly decent - scant decent!" I cried.

"You forget James More, my father, is a poor gentleman," said she. "He
is a hunted exile."

"But I think not all your friends are hunted exiles," I exclaimed.
"And was this fair to them that care for you? Was it fair to me? was
it fair to Miss Grant that counselled you to go, and would be driven
fair horn-mad if she could hear of it? Was it even fair to these
Gregory folk that you were living with, and used you lovingly? It's a
blessing you have fallen in my hands! Suppose your father hindered by
an accident, what would become of you here, and you your lee-lone in a
strange place? The thought of the thing frightens me," I said.

"I will have lied to all of them," she replied. "I will have told them
all that I had plenty. I told HER too. I could not be lowering James
More to them."

I found out later on that she must have lowered him in the very dust,
for the lie was originally the father's, not the daughter's, and she
thus obliged to persevere in it for the man's reputation. But at the
time I was ignorant of this, and the mere thought of her destitution
and the perils in which see must have fallen, had ruffled me almost
beyond reason.

"Well, well, well," said I, "you will have to learn more sense."

I left her mails for the moment in an inn upon the shore, where I got a
direction for Sprott's house in my new French, and we walked there - it
was some little way - beholding the place with wonder as we went.
Indeed, there was much for Scots folk to admire: canals and trees
being intermingled with the houses; the houses, each within itself, of
a brave red brick, the colour of a rose, with steps and benches of blue
marble at the cheek of every door, and the whole town so clean you
might have dined upon the causeway. Sprott was within, upon his
ledgers, in a low parlour, very neat and clean, and set out with china
and pictures, and a globe of the earth in a brass frame. He was a big-
chafted, ruddy, lusty man, with a crooked hard look to him; and he made
us not that much civility as offer us a seat.

"Is James More Macgregor now in Helvoet, sir?" says I.

"I ken nobody by such a name," says he, impatient-like.

"Since you are so particular," says I, "I will amend my question, and
ask you where we are to find in Helvoet one James Drummond, ALIAS
Macgregor, ALIAS James More, late tenant in Inveronachile?"

"Sir," says he, "he may be in Hell for what I ken, and for my part I
wish he was."

"The young lady is that gentleman's daughter, sir," said I, "before
whom, I think you will agree with me, it is not very becoming to
discuss his character."

"I have nothing to make either with him, or her, or you!" cries he in
his gross voice.

"Under your favour, Mr. Sprott," said I, "this young lady is come from
Scotland seeking him, and by whatever mistake, was given the name of
your house for a direction. An error it seems to have been, but I
think this places both you and me - who am but her fellow-traveller by
accident - under a strong obligation to help our countrywoman."

"Will you ding me daft?" he cries. "I tell ye I ken naething and care
less either for him or his breed. I tell ye the man owes me money."

"That may very well be, sir," said I, who was now rather more angry
than himself. "At least, I owe you nothing; the young lady is under my
protection; and I am neither at all used with these manners, nor in the
least content with them."

As I said this, and without particularly thinking what I did, I drew a
step or two nearer to his table; thus striking, by mere good fortune,
on the only argument that could at all affect the man. The blood left
his lusty countenance.

"For the Lord's sake dinna be hasty, sir!" he cried. "I am truly
wishfu' no to be offensive. But ye ken, sir, I'm like a wheen guid-
natured, honest, canty auld fellows - my bark is waur nor my bite. To
hear me, ye micht whiles fancy I was a wee thing dour; but na, na! it's
a kind auld fallow at heart, Sandie Sprott! And ye could never imagine
the fyke and fash this man has been to me."

"Very good, sir," said I. "Then I will make that much freedom with
your kindness as trouble you for your last news of Mr. Drummond."

"You're welcome, sir!" said he. "As for the young leddy (my respects
to her!), he'll just have clean forgotten her. I ken the man, ye see;
I have lost siller by him ere now. He thinks of naebody but just
himsel'; clan, king, or dauchter, if he can get his wameful, he would
give them a' the go-by! ay, or his correspondent either. For there is
a sense in whilk I may be nearly almost said to be his correspondent.
The fact is, we are employed thegether in a business affair, and I
think it's like to turn out a dear affair for Sandie Sprott. The man's
as guid's my pairtner, and I give ye my mere word I ken naething by
where he is. He micht be coming here to Helvoet; he micht come here
the morn, he michtnae come for a twalmouth; I would wonder at naething
- or just at the ae thing, and that's if he was to pay me my siller.
Ye see what way I stand with it; and it's clear I'm no very likely to
meddle up with the young leddy, as ye ca' her. She cannae stop here,
that's ae thing certain sure. Dod, sir, I'm a lone man! If I was to
tak her in, its highly possible the hellicat would try and gar me marry
her when he turned up."

"Enough of this talk," said I. "I will take the young leddy among
better friends. Give me, pen, ink, and paper, and I will leave here
for James More the address of my correspondent in Leyden. He can
inquire from me where he is to seek his daughter."

This word I wrote and sealed; which while I was doing, Sprott of his
own motion made a welcome offer, to charge himself with Miss Drummond's
mails, and even send a porter for them to the inn. I advanced him to
that effect a dollar or two to be a cover, and he gave me an
acknowledgment in writing of the sum.

Whereupon (I giving my arm to Catriona) we left the house of this
unpalatable rascal. She had said no word throughout, leaving me to
judge and speak in her place; I, upon my side, had been careful not to
embarrass her by a glance; and even now, although my heart still glowed
inside of me with shame and anger, I made it my affair to seem quite
easy.

"Now," said I, "let us get back to yon same inn where they can speak
the French, have a piece of dinner, and inquire for conveyances to
Rotterdam. I will never be easy till I have you safe again in the
hands of Mrs. Gebbie."

"I suppose it will have to be," said Catriona, "though whoever will be
pleased, I do not think it will be her. And I will remind you this
once again that I have but one shilling, and three baubees."

"And just this once again," said I, "I will remind you it was a
blessing that I came alongst with you."

"What else would I be thinking all this time?" says she, and I thought
weighed a little on my arm. "It is you that are the good friend to
me."

CHAPTER XXIII - TRAVELS IN HOLLAND

THE rattel-waggon, which is a kind of a long waggon set with benches,
carried us in four hours of travel to the great city of Rotterdam. It
was long past dark by then, but the streets were pretty brightly
lighted and thronged with wild-like, outlandish characters - bearded
Hebrews, black men, and the hordes of courtesans, most indecently
adorned with finery and stopping seamen by their very sleeves; the
clash of talk about us made our heads to whirl; and what was the most
unexpected of all, we appeared to be no more struck with all these
foreigners than they with us. I made the best face I could, for the
lass's sake and my own credit; but the truth is I felt like a lost
sheep, and my heart beat in my bosom with anxiety. Once or twice I
inquired after the harbour or the berth of the ship ROSE: but either
fell on some who spoke only Hollands, or my own French failed me.
Trying a street at a venture, I came upon a lane of lighted houses, the
doors and windows thronged with wauf-like painted women; these jostled
and mocked upon us as we passed, and I was thankful we had nothing of
their language. A little after we issued forth upon an open place
along the harbour.

"We shall be doing now," cries I, as soon as I spied masts. "Let us
walk here by the harbour. We are sure to meet some that has the
English, and at the best of it we may light upon that very ship."

We did the next best, as happened; for, about nine of the evening, whom
should we walk into the arms of but Captain Sang? He told us they had
made their run in the most incredible brief time, the wind holding
strong till they reached port; by which means his passengers were all
gone already on their further travels. It was impossible to chase
after the Gebbies into the High Germany, and we had no other
acquaintance to fall back upon but Captain Sang himself. It was the
more gratifying to find the man friendly and wishful to assist. He
made it a small affair to find some good plain family of merchants,
where Catriona might harbour till the ROSE was loaden; declared he
would then blithely carry her back to Leith for nothing and see her
safe in the hands of Mr. Gregory; and in the meanwhile carried us to a
late ordinary for the meal we stood in need of. He seemed extremely
friendly, as I say, but what surprised me a good deal, rather
boisterous in the bargain; and the cause of this was soon to appear.
For at the ordinary, calling for Rhenish wine and drinking of it deep,
he soon became unutterably tipsy. In this case, as too common with all
men, but especially with those of his rough trade, what little sense or
manners he possessed deserted him; and he behaved himself so scandalous
to the young lady, jesting most ill-favouredly at the figure she had
made on the ship's rail, that I had no resource but carry her suddenly
away.

She came out of the ordinary clinging to me close. "Take me away,
David," she said. "YOU keep me. I am not afraid with you."

"And have no cause, my little friend!" cried I, and could have found it
in my heart to weep.

"Where will you be taking me?" she said again. "Don't leave me at all
events - never leave me."

"Where am I taking you to?" says I stopping, for I had been staving on
ahead in mere blindness. "I must stop and think. But I'll not leave
you, Catriona; the Lord do so to me, and more also, if I should fail or
fash you."

She crept close into me by way of a reply.

"Here," I said, "is the stillest place we have hit on yet in this busy
byke of a city. Let us sit down here under yon tree and consider of
our course."

That tree (which I am little like to forget) stood hard by the harbour
side. It was like a black night, but lights were in the houses, and
nearer hand in the quiet ships; there was a shining of the city on the
one hand, and a buzz hung over it of many thousands walking and
talking; on the other, it was dark and the water bubbled on the sides.
I spread my cloak upon a builder's stone, and made her sit there; she
would have kept her hold upon me, for she still shook with the late
affronts; but I wanted to think clear, disengaged myself, and paced to
and fro before her, in the manner of what we call a smuggler's walk,
belabouring my brains for any remedy. By the course of these
scattering thoughts I was brought suddenly face to face with a
remembrance that, in the heat and haste of our departure, I had left
Captain Sang to pay the ordinary. At this I began to laugh out loud,
for I thought the man well served; and at the same time, by an
instinctive movement, carried my hand to the pocket where my money was.
I suppose it was in the lane where the women jostled us; but there is
only the one thing certain, that my purse was gone.

"You will have thought of something good," said she, observing me to
pause.

At the pinch we were in, my mind became suddenly clear as a perspective
glass, and I saw there was no choice of methods. I had not one doit of
coin, but in my pocket-book I had still my letter on the Leyden
merchant; and there was now but the one way to get to Leyden, and that
was to walk on our two feet.

"Catriona," said I, "I know you're brave and I believe you're strong -
do you think you could walk thirty miles on a plain road?" We found
it, I believe, scarce the two-thirds of that, but such was my notion of
the distance.

"David," she said, "if you will just keep near, I will go anywhere and
do anything. The courage of my heart, it is all broken. Do not be
leaving me in this horrible country by myself, and I will do all else."

"Can you start now and march all night?" said I.

"I will do all that you can ask of me," she said, "and never ask you
why. I have been a bad ungrateful girl to you; and do what you please
with me now! And I think Miss Barbara Grant is the best lady in the
world," she added, "and I do not see what she would deny you for at all
events."

This was Greek and Hebrew to me; but I had other matters to consider,
and the first of these was to get clear of that city on the Leyden
road. It proved a cruel problem; and it may have been one or two at
night ere we had solved it. Once beyond the houses, there was neither
moon nor stars to guide us; only the whiteness of the way in the midst
and a blackness of an alley on both hands. The walking was besides
made most extraordinary difficult by a plain black frost that fell
suddenly in the small hours and turned that highway into one long
slide.

"Well, Catriona," said I, "here we are like the king's sons and the old
wives' daughters in your daft-like Highland tales. Soon we'll be going
over the 'SEVEN BENS, THE SEVEN GLENS AND THE SEVEN MOUNTAIN MOORS'."
Which was a common byword or overcome in those tales of hers that had
stuck in my memory.

"Ah," says she, "but here are no glens or mountains! Though I will
never be denying but what the trees and some of the plain places
hereabouts are very pretty. But our country is the best yet."

"I wish we could say as much for our own folk," says I, recalling
Sprott and Sang, and perhaps James More himself.

"I will never complain of the country of my friend," said she, and
spoke it out with an accent so particular that I seemed to see the look
upon her face.

I caught in my breath sharp and came near falling (for my pains) on the
black ice.

"I do not know what YOU think, Catriona," said I, when I was a little
recovered, "but this has been the best day yet! I think shame to say
it, when you have met in with such misfortunes and disfavours; but for
me, it has been the best day yet."

"It was a good day when you showed me so much love," said she.

"And yet I think shame to be happy too," I went on, "and you here on
the road in the black night."

"Where in the great world would I be else?" she cried. "I am thinking
I am safest where I am with you."

"I am quite forgiven, then?" I asked.

"Will you not forgive me that time so much as not to take it in your
mouth again?" she cried. "There is nothing in this heart to you but
thanks. But I will be honest too," she added, with a kind of
suddenness, "and I'll never can forgive that girl."

"Is this Miss Grant again?" said I. "You said yourself she was the
best lady in the world."

"So she will be, indeed!" says Catriona. "But I will never forgive her
for all that. I will never, never forgive her, and let me hear tell of
her no more."

"Well," said I, "this beats all that ever came to my knowledge; and I
wonder that you can indulge yourself in such bairnly whims. Here is a
young lady that was the best friend in the world to the both of us,
that learned us how to dress ourselves, and in a great manner how to
behave, as anyone can see that knew us both before and after."

But Catriona stopped square in the midst of the highway.

"It is this way of it," said she. "Either you will go on to speak of
her, and I will go back to yon town, and let come of it what God
pleases! Or else you will do me that politeness to talk of other
things."

I was the most nonplussed person in this world; but I bethought me that
she depended altogether on my help, that she was of the frail sex and
not so much beyond a child, and it was for me to be wise for the pair
of us.

"My dear girl," said I, "I can make neither head nor tails of this; but
God forbid that I should do anything to set you on the jee. As for
talking of Miss Grant, I have no such a mind to it, and I believe it
was yourself began it. My only design (if I took you up at all) was
for your own improvement, for I hate the very look of injustice. Not
that I do not wish you to have a good pride and a nice female delicacy;
they become you well; but here you show them to excess."

"Well, then, have you done?" said she.

"I have done," said I.

"A very good thing," said she, and we went on again, but now in
silence.

It was an eerie employment to walk in the gross night, beholding only
shadows and hearing nought but our own steps. At first, I believe our
hearts burned against each other with a deal of enmity; but the
darkness and the cold, and the silence, which only the cocks sometimes
interrupted, or sometimes the farmyard dogs, had pretty soon brought
down our pride to the dust; and for my own particular, I would have
jumped at any decent opening for speech.

Before the day peeped, came on a warmish rain, and the frost was all
wiped away from among our feet. I took my cloak to her and sought to
hap her in the same; she bade me, rather impatiently, to keep it.

"Indeed and I will do no such thing," said I. "Here am I, a great,
ugly lad that has seen all kinds of weather, and here are you a tender,
pretty maid! My dear, you would not put me to a shame?"

Without more words she let me cover her; which as I was doing in the
darkness, I let my hand rest a moment on her shoulder, almost like an
embrace.

"You must try to be more patient of your friend," said I.

I thought she seemed to lean the least thing in the world against my
bosom, or perhaps it was but fancy.

"There will be no end to your goodness," said she.

And we went on again in silence; but now all was changed; and the
happiness that was in my heart was like a fire in a great chimney.

The rain passed ere day; it was but a sloppy morning as we came into
the town of Delft. The red gabled houses made a handsome show on
either hand of a canal; the servant lassies were out slestering and
scrubbing at the very stones upon the public highway; smoke rose from a
hundred kitchens; and it came in upon me strongly it was time to break
our fasts.

"Catriona," said I, "I believe you have yet a shilling and three
baubees?"

"Are you wanting it?" said she, and passed me her purse. "I am wishing
it was five pounds! What will you want it for?"

"And what have we been walking for all night, like a pair of waif
Egyptians!" says I. "Just because I was robbed of my purse and all I
possessed in that unchancy town of Rotterdam. I will tell you of it
now, because I think the worst is over, but we have still a good tramp
before us till we get to where my money is, and if you would not buy me
a piece of bread, I were like to go fasting."

She looked at me with open eyes. By the light of the new day she was
all black and pale for weariness, so that my heart smote me for her.
But as for her, she broke out laughing.

"My torture! are we beggars then!" she cried. "You too? O, I could
have wished for this same thing! And I am glad to buy your breakfast
to you. But it would be pleisand if I would have had to dance to get a
meal to you! For I believe they are not very well acquainted with our
manner of dancing over here, and might be paying for the curiosity of
that sight."

I could have kissed her for that word, not with a lover's mind, but in
a heat of admiration. For it always warms a man to see a woman brave.

We got a drink of milk from a country wife but new come to the town,
and in a baker's, a piece of excellent, hot, sweet-smelling bread,
which we ate upon the road as we went on. That road from Delft to the
Hague is just five miles of a fine avenue shaded with trees, a canal on
the one hand, on the other excellent pastures of cattle. It was
pleasant here indeed.

"And now, Davie," said she, "what will you do with me at all events?"

"It is what we have to speak of," said I, "and the sooner yet the
better. I can come by money in Leyden; that will be all well. But the
trouble is how to dispose of you until your father come. I thought
last night you seemed a little sweir to part from me?"

"It will be more than seeming then," said she.

"You are a very young maid," said I, "and I am but a very young
callant. This is a great piece of difficulty. What way are we to
manage? Unless indeed, you could pass to be my sister?"

"And what for no?" said she, "if you would let me!"

"I wish you were so, indeed," I cried. "I would be a fine man if I had
such a sister. But the rub is that you are Catriona Drummond."

"And now I will be Catriona Balfour," she said. "And who is to ken?
They are all strange folk here."

"If you think that it would do," says I. "I own it troubles me. I
would like it very ill, if I advised you at all wrong."

"David, I have no friend here but you," she said.

"The mere truth is, I am too young to be your friend," said I. "I am
too young to advise you, or you to be advised. I see not what else we
are to do, and yet I ought to warn you."

"I will have no choice left," said she. "My father James More has not
used me very well, and it is not the first time, I am cast upon your
hands like a sack of barley meal, and have nothing else to think of but
your pleasure. If you will have me, good and well. If you will not" -
she turned and touched her hand upon my arm - "David, I am afraid,"
said she.

"No, but I ought to warn you," I began; and then bethought me I was the
bearer of the purse, and it would never do to seem too churlish.
"Catriona," said I, "don't misunderstand me: I am just trying to do my
duty by you, girl! Here am I going alone to this strange city, to be a
solitary student there; and here is this chance arisen that you might
dwell with me a bit, and be like my sister; you can surely understand
this much, my dear, that I would just love to have you?"

"Well, and here I am," said she. "So that's soon settled."

I know I was in duty bounden to have spoke more plain. I know this was
a great blot on my character, for which I was lucky that I did not pay
more dear. But I minded how easy her delicacy had been startled with a
word of kissing her in Barbara's letter; now that she depended on me,
how was I to be more bold? Besides, the truth is, I could see no other
feasible method to dispose of her. And I daresay inclination pulled me
very strong.

A little beyond the Hague she fell very lame and made the rest of the
distance heavily enough. Twice she must rest by the wayside, which she
did with pretty apologies, calling herself a shame to the Highlands and
the race she came of, and nothing but a hindrance to myself. It was
her excuse, she said, that she was not much used with walking shod. I
would have had her strip off her shoes and stockings and go barefoot.
But she pointed out to me that the women of that country, even in the
landward roads, appeared to be all shod.

"I must not be disgracing my brother," said she, and was very merry
with it all, although her face told tales of her.

There is a garden in that city we were bound to, sanded below with
clean sand, the trees meeting overhead, some of them trimmed, some
preached, and the whole place beautified with alleys and arbours. Here
I left Catriona, and went forward by myself to find my correspondent.
There I drew on my credit, and asked to be recommended to some decent,
retired lodging. My baggage being not yet arrived, I told him I
supposed I should require his caution with the people of the house; and
explained that, my sister being come for a while to keep house with me,
I should be wanting two chambers. This was all very well; but the
trouble was that Mr. Balfour in his letter of recommendation had
condescended on a great deal of particulars, and never a word of any
sister in the case. I could see my Dutchman was extremely suspicious;
and viewing me over the rims of a great pair of spectacles - he was a
poor, frail body, and reminded me of an infirm rabbit - he began to
question me close.

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