Guy Mannering, Or, the Astrologer — Complete

by Walter Scott

  GUY MANNERING

  OR

  THE ASTROLOGER

  CHAPTER XXXII

  A man may see how this world goes with no eyes. Look with thine ears. See how yon justice rails upon yon simple thief. Hark in thine ear: Change places; and, handy-dandy, which is the justice, which is the thief?

  --King Lear.

  Among those who took the most lively interest in endeavouring todiscover the person by whom young Charles Hazlewood had been waylaidand wounded was Gilbert Glossin, Esquire, late writer in ----, nowLaird of Ellangowan, and one of the worshipful commission of justicesof the peace for the county of----. His motives for exertion on thisoccasion were manifold; but we presume that our readers, from what theyalready know of this gentleman, will acquit him of being actuated byany zealous or intemperate love of abstract justice.

  The truth was, that this respectable personage felt himself less atease than he had expected, after his machinations put him in possessionof his benefactor's estate. His reflections within doors, where so muchoccurred to remind him of former times, were not always theself-congratulations of successful stratagem. And when he looked abroadhe could not but be sensible that he was excluded from the society ofthe gentry of the county, to whose rank he conceived he had raisedhimself. He was not admitted to their clubs, and at meetings of apublic nature, from which he could not be altogether excluded, he foundhimself thwarted and looked upon with coldness and contempt. Bothprinciple and prejudice cooperated in creating this dislike; for thegentlemen of the county despised him for the lowness of his birth,while they hated him for the means by which he had raised his fortune.With the common people his reputation stood still worse. They wouldneither yield him the territorial appellation of Ellangowan nor theusual compliment of Mr. Glossin: with them he was bare Glossin; and soincredibly was his vanity interested by this trifling circumstance,that he was known to give half-a-crown to a beggar because he hadthrice called him Ellangowan in beseeching him for a penny. Hetherefore felt acutely the general want of respect, and particularlywhen he contrasted his own character and reception in society withthose of Mr. Mac-Morlan, who, in far inferior worldly circumstances,was beloved and respected both by rich and poor, and was slowly butsecurely laying the foundation of a moderate fortune, with the generalgood-will and esteem of all who knew him.

  Glossin, while he repined internally at what he would fain have calledthe prejudices and prepossessions of the country, was too wise to makeany open complaint. He was sensible his elevation was too recent to beimmediately forgotten, and the means by which he had attained it tooodious to be soon forgiven. But time, thought he, diminishes wonder andpalliates misconduct. With the dexterity, therefore, of one who madehis fortune by studying the weak points of human nature, he determinedto lie by for opportunities to make himself useful even to those whomost disliked him; trusting that his own abilities, the disposition ofcountry gentlemen to get into quarrels, when a lawyer's advice becomesprecious, and a thousand other contingencies, of which, with patienceand address, he doubted not to be able to avail himself, would soonplace him in a more important and respectable light to his neighbours,and perhaps raise him to the eminence sometimes attained by a shrewd,worldly, bustling man of business, when, settled among a generation ofcountry gentlemen, he becomes, in Burns's language,

  The tongue of the trump to them a'.

  The attack on Colonel Mannering's house, followed by the accident ofHazlewood's wound, appeared to Glossin a proper opportunity to impressupon the country at large the service which could be rendered by anactive magistrate (for he had been in the commission for some time),well acquainted with the law, and no less so with the haunts and habitsof the illicit traders. He had acquired the latter kind of experienceby a former close alliance with some of the most desperate smugglers,in consequence of which he had occasionally acted, sometimes as apartner, sometimes as legal adviser, with these persons, But theconnexion had been dropped many years; nor, considering how short therace of eminent characters of this description, and the frequentcircumstances occur to make them retire from particular scenes ofaction, had he the least reason to think that his present researchescould possibly compromise any old friend who might possess means ofretaliation. The having been concerned in these practices abstractedlywas a circumstance which, according to his opinion, ought in no respectto interfere with his now using his experience in behalf of the public,or rather to further his own private views. To acquire the good opinionand countenance of Colonel Mannering would be no small object to agentleman who was much disposed to escape from Coventry, and to gainthe favour of old Hazlewood, who was a leading man in the county, wasof more importance still. Lastly, if he should succeed in discovering,apprehending, and convicting the culprits, he would have thesatisfaction of mortifying, and in some degree disparaging, Mac-Morlan,to whom, as sheriff-substitute of the county, this sort ofinvestigation properly belonged, and who would certainly suffer inpublic opinion should the voluntary exertions of Glossin be moresuccessful than his own.

  Actuated by motives so stimulating, and well acquainted with the lowerretainers of the law, Glossin set every spring in motion to detect andapprehend, if possible, some of the gang who had attacked Woodbourne,and more particularly the individual who had wounded Charles Hazlewood.He promised high rewards, he suggested various schemes, and used hispersonal interest among his old acquaintances who favoured the trade,urging that they had better make sacrifice of an understrapper or twothan incur the odium of having favoured such atrocious proceedings. Butfor some time all these exertions were in vain. The common people ofthe country either favoured or feared the smugglers too much to affordany evidence against them. At length this busy magistrate obtainedinformation that a man, having the dress and appearance of the personwho had wounded Hazlewood, had lodged on the evening before therencontre at the Gordon Arms in Kippletringan. Thither Mr. Glossinimmediately went, for the purpose of interrogating our old acquaintanceMrs. Mac-Candlish.

  The reader may remember that Mr. Glossin did not, according to thisgood woman's phrase, stand high in her books. She therefore attendedhis summons to the parlour slowly and reluctantly, and, on entering theroom, paid her respects in the coldest possible manner. The dialoguethen proceeded as follows:--

  'A fine frosty morning, Mrs. Mac-Candlish.'

  'Ay, sir; the morning's weel eneugh,' answered the landlady, drily.

  'Mrs. Mac-Candlish, I wish to know if the justices are to dine here asusual after the business of the court on Tuesday?'

  'I believe--I fancy sae, sir--as usual' (about to leave the room).

  'Stay a moment, Mrs. Mac-Candlish; why, you are in a prodigious hurry,my good friend! I have been thinking a club dining here once a monthwould be a very pleasant thing.'

  'Certainly, sir; a club of RESPECTABLE gentlemen.'

  'True, true,' said Glossin, 'I mean landed proprietors and gentlemen ofweight in the county; and I should like to set such a thing a-going.'

  The short dry cough with which Mrs. Mac-Candlish received this proposalby no means indicated any dislike to the overture abstractedlyconsidered, but inferred much doubt how far it would succeed under theauspices of the gentleman by whom it was proposed. It was not a coughnegative, but a cough dubious, and as such Glossin felt it; but it wasnot his cue to take offence.

  'Have there been brisk doings on the road, Mrs. Mac-Candlish? Plenty ofcompany, I suppose?'

  'Pretty weel, sir,--but I believe I am wanted at the bar.'

  'No, no; stop one moment, cannot you, to oblige an old customer? Pray,do you remember a remarkably tall young man who lodged one night inyour house last week?'

  'Troth, sir, I canna weel say; I never take heed whether my company belang or short, if they make a lang bill.'

  'And if they do not, you can do that for them, eh, Mrs. Mac-Candlish?ha, ha, ha! But this young man that I inquire after was upwards of sixfeet high, had a dark frock, with metal buttons, light-brown hairunpowdered, blue eyes, and a st
raight nose, travelled on foot, had noservant or baggage; you surely can remember having seen such atraveller?'

  'Indeed, sir,' answered Mrs. Mac-Candlish, bent on baffling hisinquiries, 'I canna charge my memory about the matter; there's mair todo in a house like this, I trow, than to look after passengers' hair,or their een, or noses either.'

  'Then, Mrs. Mac-Candlish, I must tell you in plain terms that thisperson is suspected of having been guilty of a crime; and it is inconsequence of these suspicions that I, as a magistrate, require thisinformation from you; and if you refuse to answer my questions, I mustput you upon your oath.'

  'Troth, sir, I am no free to swear; [Footnote: Some of the strictdissenters decline taking an oath before a civil magistrate.] we aygaed to the Antiburgher meeting. It's very true, in BailieMac-Candlish's time (honest man) we keepit the kirk, whilk was mostseemly in his station, as having office; but after his being called toa better place than Kippletringan I hae gaen back to worthy MaisterMac-Grainer. And so ye see, sir, I am no clear to swear withoutspeaking to the minister, especially against ony sackless puir youngthing that's gaun through the country, stranger and freendless like.'

  'I shall relieve your scruples, perhaps, without troubling Mr.Mac-Grainer, when I tell you that this fellow whom I inquire after isthe man who shot your young friend Charles Hazlewood.'

  'Gudeness! wha could hae thought the like o' that o' him? Na, if it hadbeen for debt, or e'en for a bit tuilzie wi' the gauger, the deil o'Nelly Mac-Candlish's tongue should ever hae wranged him. But if hereally shot young Hazlewood--but I canna think it, Mr. Glossin; thiswill be some o' your skits now. I canna think it o' sae douce a lad;na, na, this is just some o' your auld skits. Ye'll be for having ahorning or a caption after him.'

  'I see you have no confidence in me, Mrs. Mac-Candlish; but look atthese declarations, signed by the persons who saw the crime committed,and judge yourself if the description of the ruffian be not that ofyour guest.'

  He put the papers into her hand, which she perused very carefully,often taking off her spectacles to cast her eyes up to heaven, orperhaps to wipe a tear from them, for young Hazlewood was an especialfavourite with the good dame. 'Aweel, aweel,' she said, when she hadconcluded her examination, 'since it's e'en sae, I gie him up, thevillain. But O, we are erring mortals! I never saw a face I likedbetter, or a lad that was mair douce and canny: I thought he had beensome gentleman under trouble. But I gie him up, the villain! To shootCharles Hazlewood, and before the young ladies, poor innocent things! Igie him up.'

  'So you admit, then, that such a person lodged here the night beforethis vile business?'

  'Troth did he, sir, and a' the house were taen wi' him, he was sic afrank, pleasant young man. It wasna for his spending, I'm sure, for hejust had a mutton-chop and a mug of ale, and maybe a glass or twa o'wine; and I asked him to drink tea wi' mysell, and didna put that intothe bill; and he took nae supper, for he said he was defeat wi' travela' the night afore. I daresay now it had been on some hellicat errandor other.'

  'Did you by any chance learn his name?'

  'I wot weel did I,' said the landlady, now as eager to communicate herevidence as formerly desirous to suppress it. 'He tell'd me his namewas Brown, and he said it was likely that an auld woman like a gipsywife might be asking for him. Ay, ay! tell me your company, and I'lltell you wha ye are! O the villain! Aweel, sir, when he gaed away inthe morning he paid his bill very honestly, and gae something to thechambermaid nae doubt; for Grizzy has naething frae me, by twa pair o'new shoo ilka year, and maybe a bit compliment at Hansel Monanday--'Here Glossin found it necessary to interfere and bring the good womanback to the point.

  'Ou then, he just said, "If there comes such a person to inquire afterMr. Brown, you will say I am gone to look at the skaters on LochCreeran, as you call it, and I will be back here to dinner." But henever came back, though I expected him sae faithfully that I gae a lookto making the friar's chicken mysell, and to the crappitheads too, andthat's what I dinna do for ordinary, Mr. Glossin. But little did Ithink what skating wark he was gaun about--to shoot Mr. Charles, theinnocent lamb!'

  Mr. Glossin having, like a prudent examinator, suffered his witness togive vent to all her surprise and indignation, now began to inquirewhether the suspected person had left any property or papers about theinn.

  'Troth, he put a parcel--a sma' parcel--under my charge, and he gave mesome siller, and desired me to get him half-a-dozen ruffled sarks, andPeg Pasley's in hands wi' them e'en now; they may serve him to gang upthe Lawnmarket [Footnote: The procession of the criminals to thegallows of old took that direction, moving, as the school-boy rhyme hadit, Up the Lawnmarket, Down the West Bow, Up the lang ladder, And downthe little tow.] in, the scoundrel!' Mr. Glossin then demanded to seethe packet, but here mine hostess demurred.

  'She didna ken--she wad not say but justice should take its course--butwhen a thing was trusted to ane in her way, doubtless they wereresponsible; but she suld cry in Deacon Bearcliff, and if Mr. Glossinliked to tak an inventar o' the property, and gie her a receipt beforethe Deacon--or, what she wad like muckle better, an it could be sealedup and left in Deacon Bearcliff's hands--it wad mak her mind easy. Shewas for naething but justice on a' sides.'

  Mrs. Mac-Candlish's natural sagacity and acquired suspicion beinginflexible, Glossin sent for Deacon Bearcliff, to speak 'anent thevillain that had shot Mr. Charles Hazlewood.' The Deacon accordinglymade his appearance with his wig awry, owing to the hurry with which,at this summons of the Justice, he had exchanged it for the Kilmarnockcap in which he usually attended his customers. Mrs. Mac-Candlish thenproduced the parcel deposited with her by Brown, in which was found thegipsy's purse. On perceiving the value of the miscellaneous contents,Mrs. Mac-Candlish internally congratulated herself upon the precautionsshe had taken before delivering them up to Glossin, while he, with anappearance of disinterested candour, was the first to propose theyshould be properly inventoried, and deposited with Deacon Bearcliff,until they should be sent to the Crown-office. 'He did not,' heobserved, 'like to be personally responsible for articles which seemedof considerable value, and had doubtless been acquired by the mostnefarious practices.'

  He then examined the paper in which the purse had been wrapt up. It wasthe back of a letter addressed to V. Brown, Esquire, but the rest ofthe address was torn away. The landlady, now as eager to throw lightupon the criminal's escape as she had formerly been desirous ofwithholding it, for the miscellaneous contents of the purse arguedstrongly to her mind that all was not right,--Mrs. Mac-Candlish, I say,now gave Glossin to understand that her position and hostler had bothseen the stranger upon the ice that day when young Hazlewood waswounded.

  Our readers' old acquaintance Jock Jabos was first summoned, andadmitted frankly that he had seen and conversed upon the ice thatmorning with a stranger, who, he understood, had lodged at the GordonArms the night before.

  'What turn did your conversation take?' said Glossin.

  'Turn? ou, we turned nae gate at a', but just keep it straight forwardupon the ice like.'

  'Well, but what did ye speak about?'

  'Ou, he just asked questions like ony ither stranger,' answered thepostilion, possessed, as it seemed, with the refractory anduncommunicative spirit which had left his mistress.

  'But about what?' said Glossin.

  'Ou, just about the folk that was playing at the curling, and aboutauld Jock Stevenson that was at the cock, and about the leddies, andsic like.'

  'What ladies? and what did he ask about them, Jock?' said theinterrogator.

  'What leddies? Ou, it was Miss Jowlia Mannering and Miss Lucy Bertram,that ye ken fu' weel yoursell, Mr. Glossin; they were walking wi' theyoung Laird of Hazlewood upon the ice.'

  'And what did you tell him about them?' demanded Glossin.

  'Tut, we just said that was Miss Lucy Bertram of Ellangowan, thatshould ance have had a great estate in the country; and that was MissJowlia Mannering, that was to be married to young Hazlewood, see as shewas hinging on his
arm. We just spoke about our country clashes like;he was a very frank man.'

  'Well, and what did he say in answer?'

  'Ou, he just stared at the young leddies very keen-like, and asked ifit was for certain that the marriage was to be between Miss Manneringand young Hazlewood; and I answered him that it was for positive andabsolute certain, as I had an undoubted right to say sae; for my thirdcousin Jean Clavers (she's a relation o' your ain, Mr. Glossin, ye wadken Jean lang syne?), she's sib to the houskeeper at Woodbourne, andshe's tell'd me mair than ance that there was naething could be mairlikely.'

  'And what did the stranger say when you told him all this?' saidGlossin.

  'Say?' echoed the postilion, 'he said naething at a'; he just stared atthem as they walked round the loch upon the ice, as if he could haveeaten them, and he never took his ee aff them, or said another word, orgave another glance at the bonspiel, though there was the finest funamang the curlers ever was seen; and he turned round and gaed aff theloch by the kirkstile through Woodbourne fir-plantings, and we saw naemair o' him.'

  'Only think,' said Mrs. Mac-Candlish, 'what a hard heart he maun haehad, to think o' hurting the poor young gentleman in the very presenceof the leddy he was to be married to!'

  'O, Mrs. Mac-Candlish,' said Glossin, 'there's been many cases such asthat on the record; doubtless he was seeking revenge where it would bedeepest and sweetest.'

  'God pity us!' said Deacon Bearcliff, 'we're puir frail creatures whenleft to oursells! Ay, he forgot wha said, "Vengeance is mine, and Iwill repay it."'

  'Weel, aweel, sirs,' said Jabos, whose hard-headed and uncultivatedshrewdness seemed sometimes to start the game when others beat thebush--'weel, weel, ye may be a' mista'en yet; I'll never believe that aman would lay a plan to shoot another wi' his ain gun. Lord help ye, Iwas the keeper's assistant down at the Isle mysell, and I'll uphaud itthe biggest man in Scotland shouldna take a gun frae me or I had weizedthe slugs through him, though I'm but sic a little feckless body, fitfor naething but the outside o' a saddle and the fore-end o' a poschay;na, na, nae living man wad venture on that. I'll wad my best buckskins,and they were new coft at Kirkcudbright Fair, it's been a chance jobafter a'. But if ye hae naething mair to say to me, I am thinking Imaun gang and see my beasts fed'; and he departed accordingly.

  The hostler, who had accompanied him, gave evidence to the samepurpose. He and Mrs. Mac-Candlish were then reinterrogated whetherBrown had no arms with him on that unhappy morning. 'None,' they said,'but an ordinary bit cutlass or hanger by his side.'

  'Now,' said the Deacon, taking Glossin by the button (for, inconsidering this intricate subject, he had forgot Glossin's newaccession of rank),'this is but doubtfu' after a', Maister Gilbert; forit was not sae dooms likely that he would go down into battle wi' sicsma' means.'

  Glossin extricated himself from the Deacon's grasp and from thediscussion, though not with rudeness; for it was his present interestto buy golden opinions from all sorts of people. He inquired the priceof tea and sugar, and spoke of providing himself for the year; he gaveMrs. Mac-Candlish directions to have a handsome entertainment inreadiness for a party of five friends whom he intended to invite todine with him at the Gordon Arms next Saturday week; and, lastly, hegave a half-crown to Jock Jabos, whom the hostler had deputed to holdhis steed.

  'Weel,' said the Deacon to Mrs. Mac-Candlish, as he accepted her offerof a glass of bitters at the bar, 'the deil's no sae ill as he's ca'd.It's pleasant to see a gentleman pay the regard to the business o' thecounty that Mr. Glossin does.'

  'Ay, 'deed is't, Deacon,' answered the landlady; 'and yet I wonder ourgentry leave their ain wark to the like o' him. But as lang as siller'scurrent, Deacon, folk maunna look ower nicely at what king's head'son't.'

  'I doubt Glossin will prove but shand after a', mistress,' said Jabos,as he passed through the little lobby beside the bar; 'but this is agude half-crown ony way.'