第80章 I GO IN QUEST OF MY INHERITANCE(3)

Towards the time I had appointed with Alan,we set out from the house,Mr.Rankeillor and I arm in arm,and Torrance 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 button-holed by gentlemen on matters of burgh 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 Hawes Inn and the Ferry 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:Ransome taken,Icould 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 scath.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,Mr.Rankeillor cried out,clapped his hand to his pockets,and began to laugh.

"Why,"he cries,"if this be not a farcical adventure!After all that I said,I have forgot my glasses!"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 Alan's help without the awkwardness of recognising him.And indeed it was well thought upon;for now (suppose things to go the very worst)how could Rankeillor 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 want,and had spoken to and recognised 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 Hawes (where I recognised the landlord smoking his pipe in the door,and was amazed to see him look no older)Mr.Rankeillor changed the order of march,walking behind with Torrance and sending me forward in the manner of a scout.I went up the hill,whistling from time to time my Gaelic 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 alehouse 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 matters were and the part I looked to him to play in what remained,he sprang into a new man.

"And that is a very good notion of yours,"says he;"and I dare to say that you could lay your hands upon no better man to put it through than Alan Breck.It is not a thing (mark ye)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 Alan.

Accordingly I cried and waved on Mr.Rankeillor,who came up alone and was presented to my friend,Mr.Thomson.

"Mr.Thomson,I am pleased to meet you,"said he."But I have forgotten my glasses;and our friend,Mr.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 pass you by to-morrow."This he said,thinking that Alan would be pleased;but the Highlandman's vanity was ready to startle at a less matter 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 done to Mr.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,Mr.Thomson,"said Rankeillor,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 with the dusk and the want of my glasses)I am not very clear as to the path;and as for you,Mr.David,you will find Torrance 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 --Mr.Thomson."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 south-west 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 consultations 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,Alan strode to the door without concealment and began to knock.