The Brownie of Bodsbeck, and Other Tales Volume Ii Part 12

"And is it equally true," continued the old knight, "that to this day they have never been seen kill either roe, deer, or any other creature?"

"That is a most extraordinary circ.u.mstance," said the king; "pause until I recollect--No; I do not know that any eye hath ever yet seen them take their prey."

"I heard it averred last night," said the old man, "that if they are kept sight of for a whole day the deer is never seen, nor do they ever catch any thing; and that the moment they get out of sight, there the deer is found slain, n.o.body knows how. I took note of it, and I have seen it this day verified. Pray, is this a fact, my liege?"

"I never before thought of it, or noted it," said the king; "but as far as my memory serves me, I confess that it has uniformly been as you say."

"Will your majesty suffer me to examine these two hounds?" said the old man. "Methinks there is something very odd about them--Sure there was never any animal on earth had eyes or feet such as they have."

The two beagles kept aloof, and pretended to be winding some game round the top of the hill.

"They will not come now," said the king; "you shall see them by and by."

"If consistent with your majesty's pleasure," continued the aged knight, "where--how--or when did you get these two hounds?"

"I got them in a most extraordinary way, to be sure!" replied the king, in a thoughtful and hesitating mood.

"Your majesty does not then chuse to say how, or where, or from whom it was that you had them?" said the old knight.

The king shook his head.

"I will only simply ask this," continued he; "and I hope there is no offence.--Is it true that you got these hounds at the very same time that the beautiful Elen, and Clara of Rosline, were carried off by the fairies?"

The king started--fixed his eyes upon the ground--raised his hands, and seemed gasping for breath. All the lords were momentarily in the same posture; the query acted on them all like an electrical shock. The old man seemed to enjoy mightily the effect produced by his insinuations--He drew still nearer to the king.

"What is it that troubles your majesty?" said he. "What reflections have my simple questions raised in your mind?--Your majesty, I am sure, can have no unpleasant reflections on that score?"

"Would to the Virgin Mary that it were even so!" said the king.

"How is it possible," continued the officious old man, "that any thing relating to two dogs can give your majesty trouble? Pray tell us all about them--Who was it you got them from?"

"I do not know, and if I did----"

"Would you know him again if you saw him?"

The king looked at the old man, and held his peace.

"Did you buy them, or borrow them?" continued he.

"Neither!" was the answer.

"What then did you give in exchange for them?"

"Only a small token."

"And pray, if your majesty pleases, what might that token be?"

"Who dares to ask that?" said the king, with apparent trouble of mind.

"Would you know your pledge again if you saw it?" said the old man, sarcastically.

"Who are you, sir?" said the king, proudly, "that dares to question your sovereign in such a manner?"

"Who am I!" said the old man. "That is a good jest! That is such a question to ask at one who has scarcely ever been from your side, since you were first laid in your cradle!"

"I know the face," said the king, "but all this time I cannot remember who you are.--My Lord of Hume, do you know who the reverend old gentleman is?" And in saying this his majesty turned a little aside with the earl.

"Do I know who he is?" said Hume. "Yes, by Saint Lawrence I do--I know him as well as I do your majesty. Let me see--It is very singular that I cannot recollect his name--I have seen the face a thousand times--Is he not some abbot, or confessor, or----No--Curse me, but I believe he is the devil!"

The earl said this in perfect jocularity, because he could not remember the old man's name; but when he looked at the king, he perceived that his eyes were fixed on him in astonishment. The earl's, as by sympathy, likewise settled by degrees into as much seriousness as they were masters of, and there the two stood for a considerable time, gazing at one another, like two statues.

"I was only saying so in jest, my liege," said Hume; "I did not once think that the old gentleman was the devil. Why are you thoughtful?"

"Because, now when I think of it, he hinted at some things which I am certain no being on earth knew of, save myself, and another, who cannot possibly divulge them."

They both turned slowly about at the same instant, curious to take another look of this mysterious old man; but when fairly turned round they did not see him.

"What has become of the old man," said the king, "that spoke to me just now?"

"Here, sire!" said one.

"Here!" said another.

"Here!" said a third; all turning at the same time to the spot where the old man and his horse stood, but neither of them were there.

"How is this?" said the king, "that you have let him go from among you without noting it?"

"He must have melted into air, he and his horse both," said they; "else he could not otherwise have left us without being observed."

The king blessed himself in the name of the Holy Virgin, and all the chief saints in the calendar. The Earl of Hume swore by the greater part of them, and cursed himself that he had not taken a better look at the devil when he was so near him, as no one could tell if ever he would have such a chance again. Douglas said he hoped there was little doubt of that.

CHAPTER II.

The hunt was now over, and Gale's lambs were all scattered abroad; he threw off his coat and tried to gather them, but he soon found that, without the a.s.sistance of Trimmy, it was impossible; so he was obliged to go home and endeavour to persuade her again out to the hill, by telling her that Mooly and Scratch had both left it. Trimmy then came joyfully, and performed in half an hour what her master could not have effected before night.

When he had gotten them all collected, and settled at their food, he went away in the evening to seek for his friend Croudy, to have some amus.e.m.e.nt with him. He found him lying in a little hollow, conversing with himself, and occasionally with Mumps, who paid very little attention to what he said. He now and then testified his sense of the honour intended to him, by giving two or three soft indolent strokes with his tail upon the ground, but withall neither lifted his head nor opened his eyes. Gale addressed his friend Croudy in a jocund and rallying manner, who took no notice of it, but continued to converse with Mumps.

"Ye're nae great gallaunt, after a' now, Mumps. Gin I had been you, man, an' had seen sic twa fine beasts as Mooly an' Scratch come to our hills, I wad hae run away to them, an' fiddled about them, an' smelt their noses, an' kissed them, an' c.o.c.kit up my tail on my rigging wi' the best o' them; but instead o' that, to tak the pet an' rin away far outbye, an' there sit turnin up your nose an' bow-wowing as ye war a burial-boding!--hoo, man, it is very bairnly like o' ye! Humph! fools do ay as they are bidden! Ye're nae fool, Mumps, for ye seldom do as ye're bidden."

"Tell me, Croudy," said Gale, "does Mumps really run away in a panic when he perceives the king's hounds?"

"_Panic when he perceives the king's hounds!_ Are ye gaun to keep on at bletherin' English? Tell me, ye see--for if ye be, I'm gaun to clatter nane to ye."

"Dear Croudy, I have often told you that there is not such a thing as English and Scotch languages; the one is merely a modification of the other, a refinement as it were"----