Latest / Classic Adventure Books Library / 28 - Kidnapped - Robert Louis Stevenson
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- Chapter twenty eight. I go in quest of my inheritance. I made what change I could in my appearance, and blithe was I to look in the glass and find the beggar man a thing of the past, and David Balfour come to life again. And yet I was ashamed of the change too, and above all of the borrowed clothes. When I had done, mister rain Caller caught me on the stair, made me his compliments, and had me again into the cabinet. Sit, sit down, mister David, said he. And now you are looking a little more like yourself. Let me see if I can find you any news. You will be wondering, no doubt about your father and your uncle. To be sure, it is a singular tale, and the explanation is one that I blushed to have to offer you, for says he really, with embarrassment. The matter hinges on a love affair, truly said I. I cannot very well join that notion with my uncle. But your uncle, mister David, was not always old, replied the lawyer. And what may perhaps surprise you more, not always ugly. He had a fine, gallant air. People stood in their doors to look after him as he went by upon a metal horse. I have seen it with these eyes, and I ingenuously confess not altogether without envy, For I was a plain lad myself, and a plain man's son, And in those days it was a case of Odi ta k bellis s sabel. It sounds like a dream, said I ay, ay, said the lawyer. That is how it is with youth and age. Nor was that all. But he had a spirit of his own that seemed to promise great things in the future. In seventeen fifteen, what must he do but run away to join the rebels. It was your father that pursued him, found him in a ditch, and brought him back moltum dementum, to the mirth of the whole country. However, majora Canamus, the two lads fell in love, and that with the same lady. Mister Ebenezer, who was the admired and the beloved and the spoiled one, made no doubt, mighty certain of the victory. And when he found he had deceived himself, screamed like a peacock. The whole country heard of it. Now he lay sick at home, with his silly family standing round the bed in tears. Now he rode from public house to public house and shouted his sorrows into the lug of Tom Dick and Harry your father, mister David was a kind gentleman, but he was weak, dolefully weak. Took all this folly with a long countenance, and one day, by your leave, resigned the lady. She was no such fool, however, it's from her you must inherit your excellent good sense, and she refused to be bandied from one to another. Both got upon their knees to her, And the upshot of the matter for that while was that she showed both of them the door that wasn't August, dear me, the same year I came from college. The scene must have been highly farcical. I thought myself it was a silly business, but I could not forget my father had a hand in it. Surely, sir, it had some note of tragedy, said I. Why no, sir, not at all, returned the lawyer. For tragedy implies some ponderable matter in dispute, some dignus vendiche Nodus. And this piece of work was all about the petulance of a young ass that had been spoiled and wanted nothing so much as to be tied up and soundly belted. However, that was not your father's view, And the end of it was that from concession to concession on your father's part, and from one height to another of squalling sentimental selfishness upon your uncle's, they came at last to drive a sort of bargain from whose ill results you have recently been smarting. The one man took the lady, the other the estate. Now, mister David, they talk a great deal of charity and generosity, But in this disputable state of life, I often think the happiest consequences seem to flow when a gentleman consults his lawyer and takes all the law allows him. Anyhow, this piece of quixotry on your father's part, as it was unjust in itself, has brought forth a monstrous family of injustices. Your father and mother lived and died poor folk, you were poorly reared. And in the meanwhile, what a time it has been for the tenants on the estate of Shaw. And I might add, if it was a matter I cared much about, what a time for mister Ebenezer. And yet that is certainly the strangest part of all, said I that a man's nature should thus change, True, said mister Rankeyler. And yet I imagine it was natural enough. He could not think that he had played a handsome part. Those who knew the story gave him the cold shoulder. Those who knew it not, seeing one brother disappear and the other succeed in the estate, raised a cry of murder, so that upon all sides he found himself evited. Money was all he got by his bargain. Well, he came to think the more of money. He was selfish when he was young. He is selfish now that he is old. And the latter end of all these pretty manners and fine feelings you have seen for yourself, well, sir, I and in all this, what is my position? The state is yours beyond a doubt, replied the lawyer. It matters nothing what your father signed. You are the heir of entail. But your uncle is a man to fight the indefensible, and it would be likely your identity that he would call in question. A lawsuit is always expensive, and have family lawsuit always scandalous. Besides which, if any of your doings with your friend, mister Thompson were to come out, we might find that we had burned our fingers. The kidnapping, to be sure, would be a court card upon our side, if we could only prove it. But it may be difficult to prove. And my advice upon the whole is to make a very easy bargain with your uncle, perhaps even leaving him at Shaw's, where he has taken root for a quarter of a century, and contenting yourself in the meanwhile with a fair provision. I told him I was very willing to be easy, and that to carry family concerns before the public was a step from which I was naturally much averse. In the meantime, thinking to myself, I began to see the outlines of that scheme on which we afterwards acted the great affair. I asked is to bring home to him the kidnapping, surely, said mister Rankeyler, And if possible, out of court for mark you here, mister David. We could no doubt find some men of the Covenant who would swear to your reclusion. But once they were in the box we could no longer check their testimony. And some word of your friend, mister Thompson must certainly crop out which from what you have let fall, I cannot think to be desirable. Well, Sir said I, here is my way of it, and I opened my plot to him. But this would seem to involve my meeting the men, Thompson says he. When I had done, I think so indeed, Sir said, I, dear doctor, cries he rubbing his brow. Dear doctor, No, mister David, I am afraid your scheme is it admissible? I say nothing against your friend, mister Thompson. I know nothing about him, and if I did mark this, mister David, it would be my duty to lay hands on him. Now I put it to you, is it wise to meet? He may have matters to his charge. He may not have told you all. His name may not be even Thompson cries the lawyer twinkling, For some of these fellows will pick up names by the roadside, as another would gather haws. You must be the judge, Sir said I. But it was clear my plan had taken hold upon his fancy, for he kept musing to himself till we were called to dinner, and the company of missus Rankeuyler and that lady had scarce left us again to ourselves and a bottle of wine. Ere he was back harping on my proposal. When and where was I to meet my friend mister Thompson? Was I sure of mister T's discretion? Supposing we could catch the old fox tripping? Would I consent to such and such a term of an agreement? These and the like questions he kept asking at long intervals, while he thoughtfully rolled his wine upon his tongue. When I had answered all of them, seemingly to his contentment, he fell into a still deeper muse, even the claret being now forgotten. Then he got a sheet of paper and a pencil and set to work, writing and weighing every word, and at last touched a bell and had his clerk into the chamber. Torrents said he, I must have this written out fair against to night, and when it is done, you will be so kind as to put on your hat and be read to come along with this gentleman and me, for you will probably be wanted as a witness. What sir, cried I, as soon as the clerk was gone, are you to venture it? Why so it would appear, says he, filling his glass. But let us speak no more of business. The very sight of Torrance brings in my head a little troll matter of some years ago, when I had made a tryst with the poor oaf at the cross of Edinburgh. Each had gone his proper errand, and when it came four o'clock Torrance had been taking a glass and did not know his master, And I, who had forgot my spectacles, was so blind without them, that I give you my word, I did not know my own clerk. And thereupon he laughed heartily. I said it was an odd chance, and smiled out of politeness. But what held me all the afternoon in wonder He kept returning and dwelling on this story, and telling it again with fresh details and laughter, so that I began at last to be quite put out of countenance and feel ashamed for my friend's folly. Towards the time I had appointed with Allan, we set out from the house, mister Rangkeuyler and I arm in arm, and Torrents following behind, with the deed in his pocket and a covered basket in his hand. All through the town the lawyer was bowing right and left, and continually being buttonholed by gentlemen on matters of burg or private business, and I could see he was one greatly looked up to in the county. At last we were clear of the houses and began to go along the side of the haven and towards the Haw's Inn and the Fairy Pier, the scene of my misfortune. I could not look upon the place without emotion, recalling how many that had been there with me that day were now no more ransom taken. I could hope from the evil to come. Shuan passed where I dared not follow him, and the poor souls that had gone down with the brig in her last plunge. All these and the brig herself I had outlived and come through these hardships and fearful perils without scathe. My only thought should have been of gratitude. And yet I could not behold the place without sorrow for others and a chill of recollected fear. I was so thinking when upon a sudden mister Wrangkeeler cried out, clapped his hand to his pockets, and began to laugh. Why he cries, if this be not a forcical adventure. After all that I said, I have forgot my glesses At that, of course, I understood the purpose of his anecdote, and knew that if he had left his spectacles at home, it had been done on purpose so that he might have the benefit of Allan's help without the awkwardness of recognizing him. And indeed it was well thought upon. For now supposed things to go the very worst. How could Rangkyler swear to my friend's identity, or how be made to bear damaging evidence against myself? For all that he had been a long while of finding out his wont and had spoken to and recognized a good few persons as we came through the town, and I had little doubt myself that he saw reasonably well. As soon as we were past the haws, where I recognized the landlord smoking his pipe at the door, and was amazed to see him look no older, mister Rangkeyler changed the order of march, walking behind with torrents and sending me forward in the manner of a scout. I went up the hill, whistling from time to time my gallic air, and at length I had the pleasure to hear it answered, and to see Alan rise from behind a bush. He was somewhat dashed in spirits, having passed a long day alone skulking in the county, and made but a poor meal in an ale house near Dundas. But at the mere sight of my clothes he began to brighten up. And as soon as I had told him in what a forward state our manners were, and the part I looked to him to play in what remained, he sprang into a new man. And this is a very good notion of yours, said he. And I dared to say that you could lay your hands upon no better man to put it through than Alan Brick. It is not a thing, Markya, that any one could do, but takes a gentleman of penetration. But it sticks in my head. Your lawyer man will be somewhat wearying to see me, says Allan. Accordingly, I cried and waved on mister Rangkeler, who came up alone and was presented to my friend mister Thompson. Mister Thompson, I am pleased to meet you, said he. But I have forgotten my glasses, and our friend mister David here clapping me on the shoulder, will tell you that I am little better than blind, and that you must not be surprised if I passed you buy tomorrow, this, he said, thinking that Allan would be pleased. But the highlandman's vanity was ready to straddle at a less manner than that. Why, sir, says he stiffly, I would say it mattered the less, as we are met here for a particular end, to see justice stunned to mister Balfour, and by what I can see, not very likely to have much else in common. But I accept your apology, which was a very proper one to make, and that is more than I could look for, mister Thompson, said Rancadler heartily. And now, as you and I are the chief actors in this enterprise, I think we should come into a nice agreement, to which end I propose that you should lend me your arm, for what would the dusk and the want of my glasses? I am not very clear as to the path. And as for you, mister David, you will find Torrents a pleasant kind of body to speak with. Only let me remind you it's quite needless he should hear more of your adventures or those of ahem, mister Thompson. Accordingly, these two went on ahead in very close talk, and Torrance and I brought up the rear. Night was quite come when we came in view of the house of Shaws, ten had been gone some time. It was dark and mild, with a pleasant rustling wind in the southwest that covered the sound of our approach, And as we drew near we saw no glimmer of light in any portion of the building. It seemed my uncle was already in bed, which was indeed the best thing for our arrangements. We made our last whispered consultation some fifty yards away, and then the lawyer and Torrance and I crept quietly up and crouched down beside the corner of the house. And as soon as we were in our places, Allan strode to the door without concealment, and began to knock. End of Chapter