when lady glencairn, after her arrival at the duke of athol’s, found that robert had not come—indeed she and lord glencairn and sir william creech, her uncle, had been the first to arrive—she decided recklessly to visit him at his chambers, so she had easily stolen away unnoticed by all save one, on her indiscreet journey. sir william had seen her as she slipped guiltily out through the conservatory window and had followed her with growing suspicions to the door of robert’s chamber, where he waited in impotent wrath for her to reappear, after having questioned the guidwife within the inn. and he was not deceived when she came out, wrapped in the disguising cloak and mask. he followed her like a grim servitor till she reached the castle, and as she was noiselessly re?ntering by the conservatory window, he called to her to wait. with a startled gasp she turned, and as her eyes rested on her uncle’s accusing face, she gave a little laugh, half scornful, half defiant, and leisurely throwing off her cloak and mask, stood waiting for him to speak.
“ye foolish woman!” he told her angrily. “how could ye be so imprudent, reckless mad, as to visit a man’s chamber at night?”
“don’t preach to me, uncle,” she answered sullenly.[185] “no one knows of my being there, not even mr. burns himself.”
“but what were ye thinkin’ of to do such a reprehensible act?” he demanded sternly. she turned on him suddenly.
“because i love him!” she exclaimed passionately, casting prudence to the winds. “i went there to tell him of my love, to give myself to him, to beg him to take me away from here, to take me anywhere, only to let me be near him, to stay with him. but i was forced to come away without seeing him, thanks to you.”
for a moment he regarded the reckless woman in silence, amazement, shame, and anger struggling for the mastery.
“alice, of what are you thinking?” he ejaculated finally, catching her roughly by the arm. “you must control yourself. i speak for your own good. think no more of this idle poet, for only shame, ruin and unhappiness can come to ye and your husband, unless ye give up this unholy passion.”
she laughed scornfully. “my husband!” she cried bitterly. “don’t remind me of that fossil! you, and the rest of my family, are to blame for my being fettered, tied to a man i do not love. if it were not for that, i could find the happiness i crave.”
“sh! be calm!” he continued, looking anxiously around. “you may be overheard. foolish woman![186] do you forget that robert burns, as well as yourself, is married.”
“he is not!” she flashed impetuously. “that was no legal tie. some foolish chit of a country lass flung herself at him, with the usual result. any man would have done as he did, but unlike most men, he, out of pity and from a high sense of honor, married her; but it was an irregular marriage, which was speedily annulled by the girl’s father. he is free now, free as ever he was. the girl has given him up, poor fool. i only am the shackled one, a prisoner for life, unless——” an eager light flashed in her deepened eyes.
“unless robert burns elopes with ye!” he finished sarcastically. “i warn ye, alice, not to play with edged tools;’tis o’er dangerous. be more careful or others will suspect what i already know.” she smiled disdainfully and shrugged her shapely shoulders.
“do not force me to open your husband’s eyes!” he retorted, angered by her irritating indifference. she looked at him, her heart filled with sudden fury. how she would like to hit him in the face with her fan, how she hated him and his interference, his unwelcome advice. “already,” he continued irritably, “you have given that scandalmonger, eppy mckay, cause to suspect your too warm and ardent affection for mr. burns, by openly showing jealousy of lady nancy gordon.”
[187]
“i jealous of nancy gordon?” she repeated, with airy scorn, walking toward the door of the conservatory. “huh, not i, uncle; i am not so unconscious of my own charms,” and she drew her magnificent figure up to its full height, then smiled insolently into his perturbed and nervous face. “i thank you for all your advice,” she murmured sweetly as they traversed the long hall, “but remember, hereafter, that i mean to steer my own canoe, whether it leads me into safe waters or through the rapids.” and with a radiant smile upon her sensuous lips she entered the drawing-room, leaning affectionately upon the arm of her outraged but speechless relative. quietly she took her place by her waiting husband’s side, her dark eyes full of a bewitching and dangerous softness, for her thoughts were on the one guest whose very name had the power to move her so completely.
never had she appeared so dazzlingly beautiful, as she stood there meeting her friends and acquaintances with a deep ceremonious courtesy for the distinguished ones, a smile and a nod for her intimates, and an air of high-bred insolence and extreme self-satisfaction pervading her whole appearance.
no one was ever bored at the duchess of athol’s brilliant “at homes.” one always felt sure of meeting at least three or four justly celebrated personages under her hospitable roof. and to-night society was a-gog, for it was to welcome the farmer-poet,[188] robert burns, who had returned from his triumphant tour through the highlands. soon the capacious drawing-rooms were crowded. there was the rustle of silk and satin, rare and delicate perfumes shaken out of lace kerchiefs, while the heavy scent of the many bouquets oppressed the warm air to the point of suffocation. there was an interminably monotonous murmur of voices, only broken at rare intervals by a ripple of mild laughter. over by the large windows that overlooked the terrace stood a group of people gazing earnestly out beyond the gardens at some object, which had arrested their attention, with various degrees of interest.
“whatever is happening below on princes street?” suddenly inquired one of the ladies, nervously clutching the arm of the man nearest her. eppy mckay was an eccentric maiden lady of questionable age and taste. of more than ordinary height naturally, she looked a giantess in her powdered wig, which towered fully a foot in the air, and which was decorated profusely with waving plumes, rosettes and jewels. her lowcut gown of crimson satin, over a petticoat of quilted green silk, was cut extremely low, revealing a vision of skin and bones, powdered to a ghastly whiteness. her affectations, her simperings, and her poses accorded society much amusement, of which fact she was blissfully unconscious.
“there is a crowd gathered around a carriage,[189] but farther than that i cannot make out,” replied mr. mackenzie, the famous author and publisher.
a prolonged shout from below increased the restlessness of the timid eppy. “oh, dear!” she gasped. “if it should be an uprising of the jacobites,” and she looked fearfully into the amused faces of her companions.
with a disgusted grunt, sir william creech shook his arm free from her clawlike clutch. “nonsense, woman, ye’re daft!” he answered impatiently.
“well, upon my word!” she murmured in injured surprise.
“the mob is increasing—’tis coming nearer!” exclaimed mr. mackenzie, stepping out upon the wide balcony.
“so it is,” affirmed eppy, retreating behind the heavy curtains. “lady glencairn!” she called as her ladyship approached the window. “listen to those murmurs! oh, dear! it makes me so nervous.”
lady glencairn stepped out upon the balcony, followed by the timid eppy, and stood contemplating the scene in the brightly lighted street below them.
“it sounds not ominous,” she said quietly, after a moment. “lud, what a throng! they have unhitched the horses from a carriage, and are themselves drawing it hither.”
“who is in the carriage, can you see?” eagerly asked eppy, straining her eyes.
[190]
“a gentleman, who is evidently addressing the people,” answered lady glencairn slowly. she gazed intently at the figure silhouetted against the light of the street lamps. surely she knew that form. at that moment he turned, and with a flush of surprise, a thrill of joy, she suddenly recognized him.
“upon my life,’tis robert, robert burns!” she cried excitedly.
“aye, i recognize him now,” said mr. mackenzie.
“and you say they are drawing him hither?” inquired sir william incredulously, turning to his niece.
“aye, and why not?” she replied brightly, turning to the others. “they should carry him on their shoulders, for he deserves all homage.”
“and ’tis said the scots are not demonstrative,” ejaculated mr. mackenzie, as another burst of applause and cheers, followed by laughter, reached their ears.
“you hear how demonstrative they can be when occasion demands enthusiasm,” replied lady glencairn stanchly, “when genius knocks at the door of their hearts. see how edinburgh has utterly lost control of its conservative old self, and all over the poetic genius of robert burns.”
“true, he has indeed stirred the hardest-hearted scot by his fascinating poetry,” mused mr. mackenzie admiringly.
[191]
“how i shall love him,” sighed eppy dreamily. “in sooth i do now,” and she simpered and dropped her eyes like a love-sick school girl.
“and she has never met the man yet!” cried sir william in amazement. “the woman’s daft,” he muttered, turning away.
“i do wish he would come,” sighed eppy. “i want to tell him how much i admire him and his poetry. oh, i have the dearest little speech, that sibella, my sister, composed, all prepared to say when i am presented to him.” she rolled her eyes up ecstatically.
“i shall also recite one of his odes to him,” she continued, in the tone of one who is about to confer a great favor. “i know ’twill please him greatly,” and she fanned herself languidly.
“what have you selected?” inquired lady glencairn, laughing openly. the woman’s vanity amused her.
“such a sweet conceit,” simpered eppy.
“is it ‘tam o’shanter’s tale’?” inquired mr. mackenzie, interestedly.
“no, oh, no!” she replied, shaking her head. “’tis monstrous long to recite.”
“an ode to a calf,” said sir william grimly, “would be more appropriate.”
“perhaps ’tis the tale of ‘the twa dogs,’” hazarded lady glencairn. eppy laughed gleefully and shook her head.
[192]
“tell us the name, madam; we’re no children!” roared sir william, glaring at her like an angry bull.
“you’re so gruff,” pouted eppy reproachfully. “do you all give it up?” they nodded. “well, then, don’t be shocked,” and she shook her finger at them coquettishly; then leaning forward she whispered loudly, “’tis entitled ‘to a louse.’”
“heaven, preserve us!” ejaculated mr. mackenzie, laughing heartily.
“she’s touched here!” cried sir william commiseratingly, putting his finger to his head.
“why did you choose that?” gasped lady glencairn, in amazement.
“because ’tis a beautiful conceit,” answered eppy soulfully. “i protest, i mean to recite it.”
“i vow ’tis a most singular selection.”
“i don’t see why,” snapped eppy spitefully. “’twas written round a fact.”
“really, i hadn’t heard of that,” answered her ladyship, coolly turning away.
“i wonder at that,” cooed eppy innocently, although a little malicious twinkle appeared in her eyes. “you of all people should know everything pertaining to mr. burns and his verses.” lady glencairn stiffened suddenly, and cast a quick look at the stern face of her uncle.
“what do you mean by that?” inquired sir william aggressively, turning to eppy.
[193]
“oh, nothing, nothing!” she hastily replied, frightened by what she had said.
“everything concerning mr. burns, my husband’s protégé, and my friend, my dear friend, i may call him, does interest me mightily, miss mckay. pray tell me the story connected with the poem, if you care to!” and lady glencairn turned her glittering eyes, which were narrowed dangerously, upon the face of the crestfallen eppy.
sir william gave a snort of anger. “ye couldn’t stop her; she is dying to tell all she knows!” he said crustily.
eppy cleared her throat vigorously. “well, it was this way,” she began confidentially. “mr. burns was sitting behind a lady in kirk, one sabbath, who had on a new bonnet, of which she seemed most proud. as he was admiring its beauty, his keen eyes detected this horrid little animal crawling over the gauze and lace.”
“how fascinating,” murmured mr. mackenzie in mocking rapture.
“and it immediately inspired his pen to write the verses which have made such a sensation in town,” concluded eppy, looking eagerly at her listeners for some look or word of approval.
“what a—a creepy story,” said lady glencairn, with a little shiver of repulsion.
she turned to her quickly. “’tis said, my dear, and i ask you not to repeat it, for i promised not to[194] tell, that the lady in question was agnes mclehose, the beautiful grass widow, who is such an ardent admirer of mr. burns, you know.”
“really!” murmured lady glencairn coldly.
“and the airs she put on!” cried eppy, with lofty indignation. “why, do you know——”
but lady glencairn interrupted her sharply. “i do not care to speak of agnes mclehose,” she retorted frigidly, “and i never indulge in scandal, especially before my friends, so let us not disgust them with any woman’s gossip.”
“you are quite right,” affirmed eppy affably. “i do not believe in it myself; it always comes back to one.”
“who can understand a woman?” grunted sir william aloud.
“well, it’s most easy to understand men,” retorted eppy quickly.
with a sigh of impatience, lady glencairn took mr. mackenzie’s arm and silently they re?ntered the drawing-room. they wended their way through the groups of people standing about, for the largest and most brilliant portion of the assemblage were standing, the sofas, ottomans, and chairs being occupied by the puffy old dowagers, who were entertaining each other with choice bits of scandal; and, finally, came to a standstill beside the grand piano. for a moment they remained quiet, listening to the glorious voice of madame urbani, who from the great[195] drawing-room above was trilling forth an aria from grand opera. from her position lady glencairn commanded a good view of the large arch through which the guests entered the drawing-rooms. anxiously she watched for the handsome face and curly black hair of the poet above the crowd that surrounded her. “why does he not come? what can be detaining him?” she asked herself for the hundredth time. perhaps he was with lady nancy gordon, she thought jealously, looking about the vast room. she was sure she had not yet been announced. it looked very suspicious that neither she, nor robert, had arrived. and her heart was consumed with bitter jealousy, although her smiling face bore no traces of the raging fire within. how she hated that doll-faced beauty for being single and free! how she would delight in trampling her in the dust, she thought cruelly. nearly a month had elapsed since robert left edinburgh, since she had seen him. a month filled with vain longing and unrest. and since his return, she could scarcely restrain her intense longing to see him. day after day she would drive slowly past his lodgings, hoping to catch a glimpse of his glowing, dark face, which had such power to thrill her to the very depths of her intense and passionate nature. that longing had taken possession of her to-night, when she had slipped out and stolen away to his rooms, and she would have willingly given her body and soul to him, for the asking;[196] but her good angel had protected her from her own indiscretion, and saved her unsuspecting victim from a great remorse. the gurgling voice of eppy mckay broke in abruptly on her disturbing revery.
“oh, dear, i wish mr. burns would come,” she said plaintively.
“he is usually very punctual,” answered lady glencairn, opening her large fan of ostrich plumes and fanning herself indolently.
“genius is never governed by any rules of punctuality or propriety,” observed mr. mackenzie.
“then he is exempt,” replied her ladyship, smiling brightly. “ah! you truant. where have you been?” she demanded of her husband, who joined them at that moment.
“incidentally getting a breath of fresh air, my dear,” replied lord glencairn, smiling lovingly into his wife’s face. “but in reality, i was listening to the ovation which robert was receiving as he drove through princes street.” her eyes suddenly brightened.
“how i wish i could have heard his speech to the masses,” she cried enthusiastically. “for i must confess, james, that no man’s conversation ever carried me off my feet so completely as that of robert burns.”
“indeed, my lady!” he retorted in mock alarm. “then it behooves me to keep my eye on you hereafter.”
[197]
she joined in the laugh that followed, then remarked audaciously, “but, i vow, a little flirtation is really most exhilarating now and then.” she flashed her brilliant eyes mockingly upon the horror-struck countenance of eppy mckay.
“how indiscreet!” exclaimed eppy in amazement, “and you are a married woman, too.”
“’tis perfectly shocking, isn’t it?” mimicked her ladyship insolently.
eppy pursed her thin lips, while a little spot of color dyed her parchment-like cheeks. “well, i do not approve of married women flirting,” she replied primly, and as she caught the look of amusement which passed between her ladyship and mr. mackenzie, she added sourly, “especially in public.”
“oh! then you do approve of it in private,” replied her ladyship sweetly, innocently opening her eyes to their widest.
eppy gave a gasp of horror. “mercy, no!” she cried indignantly, “i should say not.” and she tossed her head in virtuous anger.
“robert burns!” announced the footman at this juncture.
there was a sudden hush, a movement of excitement, and the group around the door fell back, and everybody made way for the most important guest of the evening, who for the last hour had been the all-absorbing topic of conversation. lady glencairn started violently, as she heard the name announced.[198] for a brief instant she closed her eyes, feeling faint, and trembling in an ecstasy of joy. he was here at last! her heart throbbed so violently it stifled her.
“how noble he looks!” exclaimed eppy in an awestruck tone, as she watched the tall figure in a polite but determined manner coolly elbowing a passage among the heaving bare shoulders, fat arms, the long trains, and bulging bustles and paniers that seriously obstructed his way. “and to think that man is but a lowly-bred peasant,” observed mr. mackenzie, as he watched him bending low over the hand of their hostess.
“a man’s a man, for all that!” murmured her ladyship, worshipful pride in her voice and in her dazzling eyes, as she watched him approach, bowing right and left. she drew herself up with the conscious air of a beauty who knows she is nearly perfect, and with a smile she extended her jeweled hand. “i’m so glad to see you here to-night,” she says sweetly, although a glance like fire seen through smoke leaps from beneath her silky eyelashes, but robert saw it not; he was bending low over her fair hand. “welcome back to edinburgh!” she continued, pressing his hand warmly.
a bright smile lighted up his dark visage. “thank ye,” he returned simply. then he turned to lord glencairn with outstretched hand. “my lord!” he said warmly, “how glad, how delighted,[199] i am to again press the hand of my patron, my friend.”
“the pleasure is mutual, my lad!” he replied. a kindly smile lighted up his noble face, as he perceived the ruddy glow of health in the full cheeks, the flashing eyes of the young poet. “ah, you return to us looking bonnier than ever,” he continued. “your triumphant tour through the north with its highland chieftains and lords at your feet, has not turned your head after all.”
robert laughed good-naturedly. “not a bit of it,” he replied frankly.
“let me present mr. henry mackenzie,” introduced lady glencairn at this juncture.
robert advanced eagerly to meet him, his hand extended, his eyes flashing with delight. “the author of the ‘man of feeling,’ the first book i loved and admired years ago!” he exclaimed in direct frankness. “it is an unexpected pleasure, sir.”
“the pleasure is mutual,” replied mr. mackenzie, flushing at the compliment. “we witnessed your triumphant progress up princes street, and were delighted at the ovation you received.”
robert laughed happily. “was it not wonderful?” he answered in his sonorous voice, which had such a thrilling richness in it. “i could scarcely realize it was the once poor, humble robbie burns they were cheering. i am indeed happy; my popularity has not begun to wane yet.” he regarded[200] the great publisher with kindling eyes. “that i am so favorably known, is due to your kindly articles in your inestimable paper, the lounger, and your unbiased criticism of my poems, which brought me before the public, and i thank you most heartily for that generous criticism which was so judicious withal.” a little murmur of approval from his listeners greeted his last words.
“’twas a pleasure, believe me, mr. burns,” he answered quietly, “to lend a helping hand to assist a struggling genius.”
“thank ye,” said robert, simply.
“i believe you have never met our esteemed contemporary, mr. sterne, author of ‘tristam shandy,’” observed mr. mackenzie, and he quickly made the introduction.
robert turned quickly to the grave and dignified scholar. “little did i ever dream,” he said fervently, “that i would one day meet and converse with my two favorite authors.”
a smile of gratified vanity overspread the rugged features of the scholar. “i am proud indeed,” he observed pompously, “if my book has found favor in your eyes, mr. burns.” and soon they had become engaged in an animated conversation, much to the chagrin of one of his admirers, who had been waiting patiently to be introduced. she had been mentally rehearsing her little speech for some time, and was now waiting for the opportunity to deliver it.
[201]
“no one would ever take him for a farmer,” she thought in open-mouthed, worshipful adoration.
“he looks quite like a gentleman,” said a haughty voice near her, in a tone of great surprise.
“huh! he makes love to every woman he meets!” replied sir william spitefully.
with a thrill of rapture at the thought, eppy attracted the attention of lady glencairn, and whispered in that lady’s impatient ear, “introduce me, please; i see mr. burns is regarding me very closely.”
presently a lull occurred in the discussion, and lady glencairn smilingly introduced the garrulous old lady to the poet, as a “warm admirer of his poems.” “and of you, too,” eagerly interrupted eppy, clasping his hand in both of her own. “oh! i have longed for this moment, that i might clasp the hand of scotia’s bard, and tell him how i love him,”—she broke off with a smothered giggle. “i mean his poems; oh, they are too heavenly for utterance,” and she rolled her little gray eyes till only the whites showed. “sibella—she’s my sister, and a dear creature if i do say so—and i have had many a lovely cry over them,” she rattled on hardly pausing for breath. “ah, they have made us so happy. you must come and see her, won’t you, she’s a writer also, and you can have a sweet talk over your art. we belong to a literary family, you know. rob don, the gaelic poet, belonged to our clan. we take[202] after him.” she smiled affectedly and batted her little eyes in what she fondly believed a very fetching manner.
robert had vainly tried to edge in a word, and now stood listening to the silly prattle, a smile of amusement playing round his mobile mouth.
“a long way after,” observed sir william dryly. then he threw up his hands in dismay, for eppy had started off again.
“here i am rattling off a lot of nonsense,” she gurgled, “but i do enjoy your talking so much, mr. burns. i vow i could listen to it all day. i shall always remember this happy occasion of our meeting.” she stopped, out of breath, panting but happy.
robert regarded her quizzically for a moment while an audible titter was heard throughout the rooms. “you quite overwhelm me, miss mckay,” he drawled at last. “but i have nevertheless enjoyed conversing with you. really, madam, i felt quite eloquent and did myself full justice,” and he bowed gravely.
“oh, you flatterer!” tittered eppy, slapping his arm coquettishly with her fan. “but i am not madam yet.” she ventured a quick look at sir william.
“robert, i have been requested to ask you to recite one of your favorite poems; will you honor us?” asked lord glencairn, coming forward.
[203]
at once there was a chorus of inanely polite voices. “oh, do recite, mr. burns!” “please give us ‘tam o’shanter’s ride,’” etc., etc.
robert slowly looked around him at the sea of faces, and suddenly a feeling of resentment filled his heart. must he parade himself before these empty-headed noodles, who regarded him in the light of a curiosity, a plaything, to amuse them by his antics? why didn’t they ask mr. mackenzie or mr. sterne or dr. blacklock, mr. ramsay, or any one of the others to read from their books?
“i must ask ye to excuse me to-night,” he replied coldly. “i have been speaking in the open air and my voice is tired.”
“then i will recite in your stead,” cried eppy, determined to make an impression on the romantic young farmer.
they crowded around her, laughing and joking, for poor eppy was the innocent, unsuspecting butt of society.
“what is your selection?” someone asked seriously.
“’tis about the cunning little animal mr. burns saw on the lady’s bonnet,” replied eppy. “the lady’s name was—er——” she paused and looked inquiringly into robert’s grimly amused face.
“ye would be very much surprised, perhaps shocked and grieved, miss mckay,” he answered, “were i to mention the lady’s name here, so i’ll spare[204] your feelings. please recite the poem.” eppy made a deep courtesy, blissfully unconscious that the lady in question was none else than herself. and after arranging her dress to her satisfaction, cleared her throat affectedly and made several ineffectual attempts to begin the recitation. gradually a look of comical despair puckered up her face, and turning to robert with an embarrassed giggle, she exclaimed poutingly, “i cannot recall a single line. how provoking, and i protest. i knew every line by rote this morning. please start me on the first verse, mr. burns.”
the spectacle of this silly old woman making a fool of herself before that heartless crowd both annoyed and embarrassed robert. “the last verse is my favorite,” he replied, frowning angrily at the amused titters which reached his ears from all sides, and quickly he read the verse through:
“oh wad some power the giftie gie us
to see ourselves as others see us.
it wad fra many a blunder free us, and foolish notion
what airs in dress and gait wad leave us, and e’en devotion.”
and none knew whether the shaft was pointed at them or at the object of their mirth, who stood before him with clasped hands and a smile meant to be winning on her weak face, listening with all her senses.
“how true that is,” murmured lady glencairn.
“yes, indeed,” sighed eppy soulfully. “what[205] fools some people make of themselves, and they never know it, which is the funny part of it.” she darted a quick glance at lady glencairn, who returned the look calmly and evenly, although she was saying to herself, “is she the fool she appears, or is she giving me a dig, i wonder?”
she turned to robert. “mr. burns, will you find me a chair, please; i am rather fatigued, standing so long.”
he offered her his arm. “it will be rather a difficult matter,” he observed, looking about him vainly. “still, i can try.” and he moved through the swaying crowd and out upon the balcony, with her little gloved hand resting lightly on his coat sleeve.
“i saw you this morning, mr. burns, on calton hill,” she observed lightly, “but at a distance. upon driving nearer i lost sight of you; you must have vanished into the air.”
“not at all,” replied robert, sitting beside her on the low balustrade. “i found a beautiful solitude amongst a luxuriant growth of willows, which no doubt you overlooked.”
“to be sure,” she returned. “now i remember. a sad scene occurred there a few years ago; a lady from loch carron drowned herself in the little pond they hang over, because the man she loved despised her.” her voice was soft and low. she drooped her eyes and sighed.
[206]
“poor unhappy woman,” sighed robert sympathetically.
she looked at him quickly, her face flushing, her eyes earnestly searching his face. “then you would have pitied her?” she asked almost breathlessly.
“he cannot be a man who would not pity a woman under such circumstances,” he replied simply and thoughtfully.
“she loved him devotedly, recklessly,” she continued, her voice trembling with suppressed emotion; “but she had no moral right to do so,” she continued. “she was a wife, a miserable, unhappy wife; she deserved much pity, but he was pitiless and uncharitable. he despised her weakness, and so—she drowned herself.” her voice sank into a strained, unnatural whisper.
“poor unhappy woman!” he repeated compassionately. “she was over-hasty, i fear.”
“you would not have consigned her to such a fate, would you?” she faltered, laying her soft feverish hand on his.
he started violently and was silent for a time. then, slowly, sorrowfully he turned and looked into her tell-tale face; for a moment she gazed at him, her eyes glittering with an unholy light, her bosom heaving tumultuously. then she slowly drooped her head.
“’twould be a heavy load to have on one’s conscience,” he replied constrainedly.
[207]
he rose from his seat and stood looking thoughtfully across to where edinburgh castle loomed up on the hill, so cold and gloomy, outlined against the blue sky.
she glided swiftly to his side. “robert, let me——” she began passionately, when the cold voice of sir william creech rooted her to the spot in terror. out of the shadow walked her uncle, and ignoring her presence he addressed himself to robert.
“well, mr. burns!” he said angrily, “perhaps ye’ll condescend to notice me now, your publisher, sir william creech.”
“i hope ye’re well,” returned robert indifferently.
sir william quivered with rage. “ye’ve been in town a week, and yet ye have not called to notify me of your arrival,” he sputtered.
“i quite forgot, sir william,” answered rob repentently; “you see i’m not a good business man. however, to-morrow i will call and we will arrange our much neglected business matters.”
“and there is much to arrange. why did ye refuse to write for my weekly? i offered to pay ye well for it,” he snarled.
“pay!” flashed rob indignantly. “do you think to buy the fruit of my brain like so much merchandise, at so much a line for a penny newspaper? i am not a penny journalist, i am a poet. whenever i embark on any undertaking it is with honest enthusiasm, and to talk of money, wage, or fee would[208] be a downright prostitution of the soul,” and his eyes flashed dangerously.
“you do not despise money, robert burns?” retorted sir william sarcastically.
“most certainly not!” replied robert quickly. “’tis a most necessary commodity, but extremely elusive, and to show you that money has no terrors for me, i shall expect a settlement to-morrow in full. some ￡300 are due me from the sale of the last edition of my songs.” he returned sir william’s wrathful gaze, his eyes full of righteous anger and strong determination.
“just one word more, mr. burns!” he began belligerently, but robert raised his hand with a stately gesture.
“i’m in a sorry mood for business, sir william creech,” he warned him, a steely glitter in his eye.
“well, ye will hear what i’ve to say,” insisted sir william doggedly. “ye are under contract to me, sir; but instead of living up to the terms of that agreement, ye are scattering broadcast to every person that pleases your fancy, a song or an ode or a poem, which diminishes the worth and consequent sale of your collection.”
“lud, uncle,” interposed lady glencairn quickly, “i’ll warrant it makes not the slightest difference.”
“’tis not fair to me,” sputtered sir william, “and i warn ye, mr. burns, ye must not do it again. i strictly forbid it.”
[209]
“uncle!” gasped lady glencairn in amazement.
“ye forbid?” repeated robert in immeasurable scorn. “ye nor any man living can dictate to robert burns. i shall write when an’ for whom i please. i will not barter an’ sell my soul like so much merchandise. you published my collection of songs an’ have made money out o’ the transaction, which is mair than i have done. i am sick of it all; i am done with your roguery, your deceit, now an’ forever.” and he waved his hand in angry dismissal.
“but our contract,” gasped sir william, taken aback.
“’tis ended now, canceled by your ain insult, an’ i shall take means to collect my just dues.”
“are you not hasty?” asked lady glencairn concernedly.
“i told ye to call to-morrow,” snarled sir william, “and i’ll pay ye, then ye can gang your own gait. i have sought to give you advice, but ye were too haughty and independent, and ye wouldn’t listen, but ye will yet see and realize the bitter truth of my words, so go on in your career of folly and its inevitable ruin, for ye’ll soon be at the end of your tether, and may the devil claim ye for his own.” he stalked angrily away, muttering to himself, “ye upstart, ye low-born peasant, i’ll humble ye yet!”
robert turned to lady glencairn with a smile of apology on his lips. “i ask your pardon, lady glencairn,” he said humbly, “for being the cause of[210] this unseemly scene in your presence, but my anger was aroused, an’ i simply couldna’ help speaking my thoughts—i am always doing the wrong thing.”
“oh, nonsense!” she responded laughingly. “let us forget it and join the others.” she took his arm and they slowly entered the ballroom, where they were speedily joined by lord glencairn and a party of friends, who immediately surrounded them.
“my dear,” said lord glencairn, “do you know that you have left us an unconscionable time? is there some witchery about yon balcony that i know not of?” and he smiled affectionately upon his wife, whose eyes were shining with happiness.
“your pardon, james, but i’m sure our absence was not noted in such a distinguished assemblage.” she glanced carelessly about the room at the groups of sedate-looking people gravely conversing with each other while they strolled slowly, aimlessly about with much dignity and ceremony, and an almost imperceptible sneer curled her full lips. “oh, the stiff formality of some of these calvinistic old fossils!” she remarked contemptuously to robert.
“from all such people, good lord deliver us,” he replied in a low chant.
“amen!” cried eppy, looking archly at sir william. “give me youth and gayety always.” sir william looked his unspoken scorn.
“you and i may well sigh for youth, miss mckay,” quavered the venerable dr. blacklock. “many[211] moons have passed since he eluded our clutch and fled, never to return,” and he sighed dismally.
“speak for yourself, doctor,” bridled eppy. “i shall never let go my hold on youth,” and she tossed her head indignantly.
“speaking of fossils,” said lady glencairn pointedly, turning to eppy, “i wonder what can have happened to mrs. dunlop?”
“oh, she is always late for effect,” she replied spitefully.
“mrs. dunlop is a very dear friend of mine,” observed robert quietly, but his eyes flashed with indignation.
“i beg your pardon for my rudeness,” murmured lady glencairn sweetly.
“i understand mrs. dunlop is chaperoning a new beauty,” said lord glencairn inquiringly to his wife.
she gave him a side glance that was far from pleasant. new beauty, indeed! there was only one recognized beauty in edinburgh and she would not yield the palm to anyone. “i really do not know to whom you allude, james,” she said coldly.
the duchess of athol, who was standing near, smiled significantly. “mrs. dunlop asked permission to bring a young friend, who was visiting her from the highlands,” she remarked pleasantly. “i do not know her in the least, and they may not come at all.”
[212]
“mrs. dunlop and miss campbell!” announced the footman loudly. with a smile on his handsome face and a hurried word of apology, robert rapidly walked to meet the approaching couple, who were the cynosure of all eyes. mrs. dunlop was recognized by all as a woman of much importance in edinburgh society. she knew everybody and everybody knew her, for she was the lineal descendant of the immortal wallace, a fact of which she was justly proud. she was a motherly looking woman, with a charming smile and a pleasant, taking manner.
but the murmur of admiration throughout the room was not for her; it was for the slim little girl in white with the blue eyes and fair hair, which glittered like gold beneath the brilliant light of the chandeliers. “who can she be?” they whispered to each other in wonder. “evidently not a person of importance, else she would be dressed in the fashion of the day and have her hair powdered.”
“at last, mary, ye’re here!” cried robert delightedly, placing her hand within his arm. she clung to it with a nervous clutch.
“the child is frightened to death,” whispered mrs. dunlop, smiling indulgently.
“‘mrs. dunlop and miss campbell,’ announced the footman loudly.”
lady glencairn turned very pale, as she recognized the girl she had met in robert’s room. she trembled and could scarcely regain her usual composure as robert with a proud tenderness lighting up the depths of his black eyes, led the vision of youth and[213] perfect beauty up to the hostess, to whom he introduced mary. then he turned to lady glencairn. “lady glencairn, allow me to introduce to you miss campbell. you remember highland mary, do you not?”
she gave a slight start and her muscles tightened. the dairymaid sweetheart here in edinburgh? she thought in amazement. what could it mean?
“quite well,” she answered, extending her cold jeweled hand. “i little dreamed i should ever meet you here like this, but the unexpected always happens.”
“dinna’ ye mind, my lady,” replied mary simply, “ye said ye would be glad to see me whenever i came to town.” she raised those marvelous, innocent eyes of hers and smiled. why did lady glencairn shrink from that frank and childlike openness of regard? why did she for one brief moment feel herself to be vile and beneath contempt? she turned to where mrs. dunlop was conversing animatedly with their hostess, a flush akin to shame mantling her haughty face.
“my dear duchess,” she was saying apologetically, “pray pardon our late arrival, but i assure you ’tis not made for effect; our carriage broke down on the way.”
eppy started in amazement; had she overheard her spiteful remark?
the duchess graciously inclined her stately[214] head. “so glad you got here at all, mrs. dunlop,” she said.
robert turned laughingly to the group of eager people importuning him for an introduction to the beautiful débutante. “time forbids my introducing ye individually to miss campbell,” he said good-naturedly, “therefore let me present ye collectively to highland mary, my future wife, whom ye have all read of an’ loved in my poems.” a ripple of applause greeted the news, and congratulations poured in upon them, both hearty and sincere.
lady glencairn staggered slightly, her face paling, but she quickly recovered and stood haughtily erect, fanning herself a little more rapidly, her full red lips tightened to a thin malicious line.
eppy rushed up to mary effusively. “may i kiss you, dear?” she asked gushingly, “you are so sweet and pretty, just like i was a few years ago,” and she kissed the blushing girl with a resounding smack. “you’ll be married in edinburgh, i presume?” she continued volubly. “i must attend the wedding.”
“the marriage will be most private, madam,” observed robert coldly.
“do you stay long in edinburgh, miss campbell?” asked lady glencairn abruptly, forcing a smile to her lips.
“no, not long, your ladyship,” replied mary timidly. the cold metallic tones of the haughty[215] lady frightened her strangely. “i—i ne’er thought i’d e’er come to edinburgh,” she said, “but——” she hesitated and looked shyly at robert, and then looked modestly down at the bit of cobweb lace which she held in her hand and which did duty as a ’kerchief.
“but i found the barrier between us was down, that i was free as ever to wed the sweetheart of my boyhood days,” he explained with simple dignity.
“aye, but you make a bonnie couple,” exclaimed mrs. dunlop admiringly. “well, i don’t blame anyone for falling in love with you, robert,” she declared frankly. “you’re a great man,” and she nodded her head vigorously. “and a handsome one, too.”
robert blushed and shook his finger in warning at his old friend, although a tender smile played around his eyes and mouth. “mrs. dunlop, men are said to flatter women because they are weak,” he said, “but if it is so, poets must be weaker still, for the artful compliments i have received from your sex have absolutely turned my head, an’ really i begin to look on myself as a person of no small importance,” and he roguishly winked his eye at his old friend.
“i never knew a man yet who was averse to flattery,” retorted the old lady good-naturedly.
in the brief lull that followed the general laugh, the voice of lord glencairn could be heard in conversation with mary, who was earnestly gazing up[216] into his face, all traces of timidity gone, for she felt singularly at her ease in the presence of the kindly old nobleman. “and so you mean to take robert away from us for good, eh?” he was saying in his earnest, serious manner.
“ye ken he is fair anxious to get back to mossgiel now,” replied mary, blushing deeply.
lady glencairn snapped her fan together convulsively. “you mean to leave edinburgh for good?” she asked in faint, incredulous accents, turning to robert.
the people crowded around and a storm of protest arose. “what madness!” “leave edinburgh for the country!” “they couldn’t hear of such a thing.” “he owed a duty to them as scotland’s bard!” etc., etc.
robert turned to them and spoke lightly, although with an undercurrent of seriousness. “i ken i am but wasting my time, my energies, my talents here, amid the sensual delight which your city affords,” he said. “i am not formed for it. i am but a rustic at heart and in manners, and the country is my only vantageground.”
mary stole softly to his side and snuggled her hand in his. “isn’t it sweet to be in love?” cried eppy cooingly, to sir william, in a sibilant aside. “think what we are missing.”
“we’re too old for such nonsense,” replied sir william gruffly.
[217]
“oh, indeed!” flashed eppy. “huh, a woman’s never too old to love,” with an indignant toss of her head.
“no, nor to make a fool of herself,” retorted sir william, smiling grimly.
“but we cannot give you up just yet,” declared lord glencairn emphatically, placing his hand affectionately on robert’s shoulder.
“i am sure, mr. burns,” said mr. mackenzie gravely, “that your friends and admirers would not advise such a move for you, especially as you are now riding high on the top wave of success.”
“i have nothing to gain by staying here, mr. mackenzie,” replied robert, turning to him and speaking slowly and thoughtfully, “for, as you observe, i am now firmly established as a poet. i fear i am not proof against the subtle temptations which constantly beset my path and which push aside all thoughts of poesy; so as discretion is the better part of valor,” he continued, looking lovingly at the girl clinging so confidingly to his arm, “i shall flee from it all to my farm, my plow, and there amid those innocent, wholesome surroundings pass my remaining days in peace wi’ my wife by my side.”
mrs. dunlop sighed dismally and shook her white curls in decided disapproval. “laddie, you will be taking a false step,” she declared emphatically; “your place is here before the public.”
“indeed it is!” gurgled eppy soulfully. “i[218] protest edinburgh cannot spare its poet yet. your old farm can wait for you yet a while.”
mary looked at his thoughtful face with anxious eyes. she prayed fervently that nothing would dissuade him from his purpose. for it had been at her earnest solicitation that he finally decided to give up the enervating pleasures of the capital, and to retire to the country where he would be free from the contaminating influences which now surrounded him.
he smiled reassuringly into her perturbed little face. no power on earth could tempt him to break the promise he had so willingly made her on that first day of her arrival in the gay metropolis, he thought fondly. he turned to his questioners, who were eagerly awaiting his answer, his face shining with fixed determination.
“my friends,” he said quietly, “i am only a farmer born, a son of the soil. my one ambition now is to have my own roof-tree near the doon, where amidst the beauties of harmonious nature the goddess muse will commune with me as of old, for ’twas there the greatest inspiration of my soul came to me, and i know if all else fails me an independent livelihood awaits me at the plowtail.”
“tut, tut, the plowtail, indeed!” sniffed mrs. dunlop indignantly.
lady glencairn, who had been feverishly toying with her fan, turned suddenly to mary, a sneering[219] smile on her crimson lips, “and have you no higher ambition for your future husband, miss campbell?” she demanded, her voice strangely harsh and metallic. “are you content to have him bury his talents in the country?”
“yes! oh, yes!” answered mary shyly, a happy smile dimpling her sweet face. then she added na?vely, “ye ken, i’ll hae him all to myself then.” robert laughed merrily at this na?ve confession.
“young man,” observed mr. sterne pompously, “take my word for it, you’ll repent it if you leave edinburgh now.”
“robbie, what will everybody think?” cried mrs. dunlop tearfully. “you are daft to run away while the world is literally at your feet.”
“for how long?” he asked laconically.
“until you tire of its homage, my lad,” replied lord glencairn stanchly.
robert shook his head with a doubting smile. “’twill not be i who will tire first, my lord,” he returned quietly. “i know myself and the world so well. you see the novelty of a poet in my obscure situation, my imperfection of awkward rusticity has raised a partial tide of public notice which has borne me to a height where i am absolutely certain my abilities are inadequate to support me.” he looked around a trifle defiantly at the rows of serious faces, a little feeling of resentment welling up in his heart.
[220]
“you are over-modest, my dear burns,” observed mr. mackenzie with kindling eye.
robert shook his head with somber dignity. “too surely do i see the time when the same tide will leave me and recede as far below the mark of truth.” he turned and faced the people suddenly, his hands outstretched, his eyes filled with melancholy enthusiasm. raising his voice he proceeded prophetically, “my friends, you will all bear me witness, that when the bubble of fame was at its height i stood unintoxicated, with the inebriating cup in my hand, looking forward to the hastening time when the blow of calumny should dash it to the ground with all the eagerness of revengeful triumph.”
“that time will never come, robert,” cried mary softly, “for we will leave this life behind us in a very short while noo.”
lord glencairn slapped him on the back with playful earnestness. “come, come, my lad!” he cried gayly, “this will never do; you are in the dumps; throw it off, lad, and be merry. do not heed the idle gossip of your unsuccessful rivals and the scandal mongers. rest assured your popularity and fame will never die whether you remain here or retire to the country.”
“would i could think so,” sighed robert gloomily.
eppy suddenly gave a nervous little giggle. “i vow i feel like crying,” she observed hysterically, “i wish everybody wouldn’t look so mournful.”
[221]
mr. mackenzie turned quickly to his hostess. “my dear duchess,” he said courteously, “you were going to show us your new painting in which mr. burns is the central figure of the group.”
at once the silent group became animated. “oh, yes, do!” cried eppy, with a yearning look at robert. “i wonder if i could pick you from among the others?” she coyly observed.
“i trust, madam, that my phiz will be recognizable,” he replied dryly.
the duchess turned to her husband. “take miss campbell and lead the way to the gallery,” she said quickly.
“is mr. burns to take me?” inquired eppy of her hostess, but she had followed her husband, leaning on the arm of mr. mackenzie.
lady glencairn smiled sweetly, “so sorry, miss mckay, but sir william has asked for that pleasure.”
“i?” gasped sir william, with a comical look of dismay.
she looked at him maliciously. “yes, did you not?” she raised her eyebrows inquiringly, an innocent smile hovering about her mouth.
for a moment he sputtered, then with a grim smile he snarled sarcastically, “’twill afford me great pleasure.”
with a wildly beating heart lady glencairn took[222] robert’s arm and started for the stairs, followed by the others.
eppy sniffed suspiciously. “oh, i understand now,” she observed spitefully with a meaning smile.
“i thought you would, dear,” flashed her ladyship mockingly, over her shoulder.
“are you coming, madam?” demanded sir william testily, offering his arm.
with an indignant clack of her tongue, eppy haughtily brushed past him and swiftly mounted the stairs, leaving the disgruntled sir william to follow at his leisure.
