Guy Mannering; or, The Astrologer — Complete

by Walter Scott

  CHAPTER XI Can no rest find me, no private place secure me, But still my miseries like bloodhounds haunt me? Unfortunate young man, which way now guides thee, Guides thee from death? The country's laid around for thee.

  Women Pleased.

  Our narrative now recalls us for a moment to the period when youngHazlewood received his wound. That accident had no sooner happened thanthe consequences to Miss Mannering and to himself rushed upon Brown'smind. From the manner in which the muzzle of the piece was pointed whenit went off, he had no great fear that the consequences would be fatal.But an arrest in a strange country, and while he was unprovided with anymeans of establishing his rank and character, was at least to be avoided.He therefore resolved to escape for the present to the neighbouring coastof England, and to remain concealed there, if possible, until he shouldreceive letters from his regimental friends, and remittances from hisagent; and then to resume his own character, and offer to young Hazlewoodand his friends any explanation or satisfaction they might desire. Withthis purpose he walked stoutly forward, after leaving the spot where theaccident had happened, and reached without adventure the village which wehave called Portanferry (but which the reader will in vain seek for underthat name in the county map). A large open boat was just about to leavethe quay, bound for the little seaport of Allonby, in Cumberland. In thisvessel Brown embarked, and resolved to make that place his temporaryabode, until he should receive letters and money from England.

  In the course of their short voyage he entered into some conversationwith the steersman, who was also owner of the boat, a jolly old man, whohad occasionally been engaged in the smuggling trade, like most fisherson the coast. After talking about objects of less interest, Brownendeavoured to turn the discourse toward the Mannering family. The sailorhad heard of the attack upon the house at Woodbourne, but disapproved ofthe smugglers' proceedings.

  'Hands off is fair play; zounds, they'll bring the whole country downupon them. Na, na! when I was in that way I played at giff-gaff with theofficers: here a cargo taen--vera weel, that was their luck; thereanother carried clean through, that was mine; na, na! hawks shouldna pikeout hawks' een.'

  'And this Colonel Mannering?' said Brown.

  'Troth, he's nae wise man neither, to interfere; no that I blame him forsaving the gangers' lives, that was very right; but it wasna like agentleman to be righting about the poor folk's pocks o' tea and brandykegs. However, he's a grand man and an officer man, and they do what theylike wi' the like o' us.'

  'And his daughter,' said Brown, with a throbbing heart, 'is going to bemarried into a great family too, as I have heard?'

  'What, into the Hazlewoods'?' said the pilot. 'Na, na, that's but idleclashes; every Sabbath day, as regularly as it came round, did the youngman ride hame wi' the daughter of the late Ellangowan; and my daughterPeggy's in the service up at Woodbourne, and she says she's sure youngHazlewood thinks nae mair of Miss Mannering than you do.'

  Bitterly censuring his own precipitate adoption of a contrary belief,Brown yet heard with delight that the suspicions of Julia's fidelity,upon which he had so rashly acted, were probably void of foundation. Howmust he in the meantime be suffering in her opinion? or what could shesuppose of conduct which must have made him appear to her regardlessalike of her peace of mind and of the interests of their affection? Theold man's connexion with the family at Woodbourne seemed to offer a safemode of communication, of which he determined to avail himself.

  'Your daughter is a maid-servant at Woodbourne? I knew Miss Mannering inIndia, and, though I am at present in an inferior rank of life, I havegreat reason to hope she would interest herself in my favour. I had aquarrel unfortunately with her father, who was my commanding officer, andI am sure the young lady would endeavour to reconcile him to me. Perhapsyour daughter could deliver a letter to her upon the subject, withoutmaking mischief between her father and her?'

  The old man, a friend to smuggling of every kind, readily answered forthe letter's being faithfully and secretly delivered; and, accordingly,as soon as they arrived at Allonby Brown wrote to Miss Mannering, statingthe utmost contrition for what had happened through his rashness, andconjuring her to let him have an opportunity of pleading his own cause,and obtaining forgiveness for his indiscretion. He did not judge it safeto go into any detail concerning the circumstances by which he had beenmisled, and upon the whole endeavoured to express himself with suchambiguity that, if the letter should fall into wrong hands, it would bedifficult either to understand its real purport or to trace the writer.This letter the old man undertook faithfully to deliver to his daughterat Woodbourne; and, as his trade would speedily again bring him or hisboat to Allonby, he promised farther to take charge of any answer withwhich the young lady might entrust him.

  And now our persecuted traveller landed at Allonby, and sought for suchaccommodations as might at once suit his temporary poverty and his desireof remaining as much unobserved as possible. With this view he assumedthe name and profession of his friend Dudley, having command enough ofthe pencil to verify his pretended character to his host of Allonby. Hisbaggage he pretended to expect from Wigton; and keeping himself as muchwithin doors as possible, awaited the return of the letters which he hadsent to his agent, to Delaserre, and to his lieutenant-colonel. From thefirst he requested a supply of money; he conjured Delaserre, if possible,to join him in Scotland; and from the lieutenant-colonel he required suchtestimony of his rank and conduct in the regiment as should place hischaracter as a gentleman and officer beyond the power of question. Theinconvenience of being run short in his finances struck him so stronglythat he wrote to Dinmont on that subject, requesting a small temporaryloan, having no doubt that, being within sixty or seventy miles of hisresidence, he should receive a speedy as well as favourable answer to hisrequest of pecuniary accommodation, which was owing, as he stated, to hishaving been robbed after their parting. And then, with impatience enough,though without any serious apprehension, he waited the answers of thesevarious letters.

  It must be observed, in excuse of his correspondents, that the post wasthen much more tardy than since Mr. Palmer's ingenious invention hastaken place; and with respect to honest Dinmont in particular, as herarely received above one letter a quarter (unless during the time of hisbeing engaged in a law-suit, when he regularly sent to the post-town),his correspondence usually remained for a month or two sticking in thepostmaster's window among pamphlets, gingerbread, rolls, or ballads,according to the trade which the said postmaster exercised. Besides,there was then a custom, not yet wholly obsolete, of causing a letterfrom one town to another, perhaps within the distance of thirty miles,perform a circuit of two hundred miles before delivery; which had thecombined advantage of airing the epistle thoroughly, of adding some penceto the revenue of the post-office, and of exercising the patience of thecorrespondents. Owing to these circumstances Brown remained several daysin Allonby without any answers whatever, and his stock of money, thoughhusbanded with the utmost economy, began to wear very low, when hereceived by the hands of a young fisherman the following letter:--

  'You have acted with the most cruel indiscretion; you have shown howlittle I can trust to your declarations that my peace and happiness aredear to you; and your rashness has nearly occasioned the death of a youngman of the highest worth and honour. Must I say more? must I add that Ihave been myself very ill in consequence of your violence and itseffects? And, alas! need I say still farther, that I have thoughtanxiously upon them as they are likely to affect you, although you havegiven me such slight cause to do so? The C. is gone from home for severaldays, Mr. H. is almost quite recovered, and I have reason to think thatthe blame is laid in a quarter different from that where it is deserved.Yet do not think of venturing here. Our fate has been crossed byaccidents of a nature too violent and terrible to permit me to think ofrenewing a correspondence which has so often threatened the most dreadfulcatastrophe. Farewell, therefore, and believe that no one can wish yourhappiness more sincerely than />
  'J. M.'

  This letter contained that species of advice which is frequently givenfor the precise purpose that it may lead to a directly opposite conductfrom that which it recommends. At least so thought Brown, who immediatelyasked the young fisherman if he came from Portanferry.

  'Ay,' said the lad; 'I am auld Willie Johnstone's son, and I got thatletter frae my sister Peggy, that's laundry maid at Woodbourne.'

  'My good friend, when do you sail?'

  'With the tide this evening.'

  'I'll return with you; but, as I do not desire to go to Portanferry, Iwish you could put me on shore somewhere on the coast.'

  'We can easily do that,' said the lad.

  Although the price of provisions, etc., was then very moderate, thedischarging his lodgings, and the expense of his living, together withthat of a change of dress, which safety as well as a proper regard to hisexternal appearance rendered necessary, brought Brown's purse to a verylow ebb. He left directions at the post-office that his letters should beforwarded to Kippletringan, whither he resolved to proceed and reclaimthe treasure which he had deposited in the hands of Mrs. MacCandlish. Healso felt it would be his duty to assume his proper character as soon ashe should receive the necessary evidence for supporting it, and, as anofficer in the king's service, give and receive every explanation whichmight be necessary with young Hazlewood. 'If he is not very wrong-headedindeed,' he thought, 'he must allow the manner in which I acted to havebeen the necessary consequence of his own overbearing conduct.'

  And now we must suppose him once more embarked on the Solway Firth. Thewind was adverse, attended by some rain, and they struggled against itwithout much assistance from the tide. The boat was heavily laden withgoods (part of which were probably contraband), and laboured deep in thesea. Brown, who had been bred a sailor, and was indeed skilled in mostathletic exercises, gave his powerful and effectual assistance in rowing,or occasionally in steering the boat, and his advice in the management,which became the more delicate as the wind increased, and, being opposedto the very rapid tides of that coast, made the voyage perilous. Atlength, after spending the whole night upon the firth, they were atmorning within sight of a beautiful bay upon the Scottish coast. Theweather was now more mild. The snow, which had been for some time waning,had given way entirely under the fresh gale of the preceding night. Themore distant hills, indeed, retained their snowy mantle, but all the opencountry was cleared, unless where a few white patches indicated that ithad been drifted to an uncommon depth. Even under its wintry appearancethe shore was highly interesting. The line of sea-coast, with all itsvaried curves, indentures, and embayments, swept away from the sight oneither hand, in that varied, intricate, yet graceful and easy line whichthe eye loves so well to pursue. And it was no less relieved and variedin elevation than in outline by the different forms of the shore, thebeach in some places being edged by steep rocks, and in others risingsmoothly from the sands in easy and swelling slopes. Buildings ofdifferent kinds caught and reflected the wintry sunbeams of a Decembermorning, and the woods, though now leafless, gave relief and variety tothe landscape. Brown felt that lively and awakening interest which tasteand sensibility always derive from the beauties of nature when openingsuddenly to the eye after the dulness and gloom of a night voyage.Perhaps--for who can presume to analyse that inexplicable feeling whichbinds the person born in a mountainous country to, his nativehills--perhaps some early associations, retaining their effect long afterthe cause was forgotten, mingled in the feelings of pleasure with whichhe regarded the scene before him.