Chapter XXVII. I Come to Mr. Rankeillor

by Robert Louis Stevenson

　　The next day it was agreed that Alan should fend for himself tillsunset; but as soon as it began to grow dark, he should lie inthe fields by the roadside near to Newhalls, and stir for naughtuntil he heard me whistling. At first I proposed I should givehim for a signal the "Bonnie House of Airlie," which was afavourite of mine; but he objected that as the piece was verycommonly known, any ploughman might whistle it by accident; andtaught me instead a little fragment of a Highland air, which hasrun in my head from that day to this, and will likely run in myhead when I lie dying. Every time it comes to me, it takes me offto that last day of my uncertainty, with Alan sitting up in thebottom of the den, whistling and beating the measure with afinger, and the grey of the dawn coming on his face.I was in the long street of Queensferry before the sun was up. Itwas a fairly built burgh, the houses of good stone, many slated;the town-hall not so fine, I thought, as that of Peebles, nor yetthe street so noble; but take it altogether, it put me to shamefor my foul tatters.As the morning went on, and the fires began to be kindled, andthe windows to open, and the people to appear out of the houses,my concern and despondency grew ever the blacker. I saw now thatI had no grounds to stand upon; and no clear proof of my rights,nor so much as of my own identity. If it was all a bubble, I wasindeed sorely cheated and left in a sore pass. Even if thingswere as I conceived, it would in all likelihood take time toestablish my contentions; and what time had I to spare with lessthan three shillings in my pocket, and a condemned, hunted manupon my hands to ship out of the country? Truly, if my hopebroke with me, it might come to the gallows yet for both of us.And as I continued to walk up and down, and saw people lookingaskance at me upon the street or out of windows, and nudging orspeaking one to another with smiles, I began to take a freshapprehension: that it might be no easy matter even to come tospeech of the lawyer, far less to convince him of my story.For the life of me I could not muster up the courage to addressany of these reputable burghers; I thought shame even to speakwith them in such a pickle of rags and dirt; and if I had askedfor the house of such a man as Mr. Rankeillor, I suppose theywould have burst out laughing in my face. So I went up and down,and through the street, and down to the harbour-side, like a dogthat has lost its master, with a strange gnawing in my inwards,and every now and then a movement of despair. It grew to be highday at last, perhaps nine in the forenoon; and I was worn withthese wanderings, and chanced to have stopped in front of a verygood house on the landward side, a house with beautiful, clearglass windows, flowering knots upon the sills, the wallsnew-harled[33] and a chase-dog sitting yawning on the step likeone that was at home. Well, I was even envying this dumb brute,when the door fell open and there issued forth a shrewd, ruddy,kindly, consequential man in a well-powdered wig and spectacles.I was in such a plight that no one set eyes on me once, but helooked at me again; and this gentleman, as it proved, was so muchstruck with my poor appearance that he came straight up to me andasked me what I did.[33]Newly rough-cast.I told him I was come to the Queensferry on business, and takingheart of grace, asked him to direct me to the house of Mr.Rankeillor."Why," said he, "that is his house that I have just come out of;and for a rather singular chance, I am that very man.""Then, sir," said I, "I have to beg the favour of an interview.""I do not know your name," said he, "nor yet your face.""My name is David Balfour," said I."David Balfour?" he repeated, in rather a high tone, like onesurprised. "And where have you come from, Mr. David Balfour?" heasked, looking me pretty drily in the face."I have come from a great many strange places, sir," said I; "butI think it would be as well to tell you where and how in a moreprivate manner."He seemed to muse awhile, holding his lip in his hand, andlooking now at me and now upon the causeway of the street."Yes," says he, "that will be the best, no doubt." And he led meback with him into his house, cried out to some one whom I couldnot see that he would be engaged all morning, and brought me intoa little dusty chamber full of books and documents. Here he satedown, and bade me be seated; though I thought he looked a littleruefully from his clean chair to my muddy rags. "And now," sayshe, "if you have any business, pray be brief and come swiftly tothe point. Nec gemino bellum Trojanum orditur ab ovo --do youunderstand that?" says he, with a keen look."I will even do as Horace says, sir," I answered, smiling, "andcarry you in medias res." He nodded as if he was well pleased,and indeed his scrap of Latin had been set to test me. For allthat, and though I was somewhat encouraged, the blood came in myface when I added: "I have reason to believe myself some rightson the estate of Shaws."He got a paper book out of a drawer and set it before him open."Well?" said he.But I had shot my bolt and sat speechless."Come, come, Mr. Balfour," said he, "you must continue. Wherewere you born?""In Essendean, sir," said I, "the year 1733, the 12th of March."He seemed to follow this statement in his paper book; but whatthat meant I knew not. "Your father and mother?" said he."My father was Alexander Balfour, schoolmaster of that place,"said I, "and my mother Grace Pitarrow; I think her people werefrom Angus.""Have you any papers proving your identity?" asked Mr.Rankeillor."No, sir," said I, "but they are in the hands of Mr. Campbell,the minister, and could be readily produced. Mr. Campbell, too,would give me his word; and for that matter, I do not think myuncle would deny me.""Meaning Mr. Ebenezer Balfour?" says he."The same," said I."Whom you have seen?" he asked."By whom I was received into his own house," I answered."Did you ever meet a man of the name of Hoseason?" asked Mr.Rankeillor."I did so, sir, for my sins," said I; "for it was by his meansand the procurement of my uncle, that I was kidnapped withinsight of this town, carried to sea, suffered shipwreck and ahundred other hardships, and stand before you to-day in this pooraccoutrement.""You say you were shipwrecked," said Rankeillor; "where wasthat?""Off the south end of the Isle of Mull," said I. "The name of theisle on which I was cast up is the Island Earraid.""Ah!" says he, smiling, "you are deeper than me in the geography.But so far, I may tell you, this agrees pretty exactly with otherinformations that I hold. But you say you were kidnapped; in whatsense?""In the plain meaning of the word, sir," said I. "I was on my wayto your house, when I was trepanned on board the brig, cruellystruck down, thrown below, and knew no more of anything till wewere far at sea. I was destined for the plantations; a fate that,in God's providence, I have escaped.""The brig was lost on June the 27th," says he, looking in hisbook," and we are now at August the 24th. Here is a considerablehiatus, Mr. Balfour, of near upon two months. It has alreadycaused a vast amount of trouble to your friends; and I own Ishall not be very well contented until it is set right.""Indeed, sir," said I, "these months are very easily filled up;but yet before I told my story, I would be glad to know that Iwas talking to a friend.""This is to argue in a circle," said the lawyer. "I cannot beconvinced till I have heard you. I cannot be your friend till Iam properly informed. If you were more trustful, it would betterbefit your time of life. And you know, Mr. Balfour, we have aproverb in the country that evil-doers are aye evil-dreaders.""You are not to forget, sir," said I, "that I have alreadysuffered by my trustfulness; and was shipped off to be a slave bythe very man that (if I rightly understand) is your employer?"All this while I had been gaining ground with Mr. Rankeillor, andin proportion as I gained ground, gaining confidence. But atthis sally, which I made with something of a smile myself, hefairly laughed aloud."No, no," said he, "it is not so bad as that. Fui, non sum. Iwas indeed your uncle's man of business; but while you (imberbisjuvenis custode remoto) were gallivanting in the west, a gooddeal of water has run under the bridges; and if your ears did notsing, it was not for lack of being talked about. On the very dayof your sea disaster, Mr. Campbell stalked into my office,demanding you from all the winds. I had never heard of yourexistence; but I had known your father; and from matters in mycompetence (to be touched upon hereafter) I was disposed to fearthe worst. Mr. Ebenezer admitted having seen you; declared (whatseemed improbable) that he had given you considerable sums; andthat you had started for the continent of Europe, intending tofulfil your education, which was probable and praiseworthy.Interrogated how you had come to send no word to Mr. Campbell, hedeponed that you had expressed a great desire to break with yourpast life. Further interrogated where you now were, protestedignorance, but believed you were in Leyden. That is a close sumof his replies. I am not exactly sure that any one believedhim," continued Mr. Rankeillor with a smile; "and in particularhe so much disrelished me expressions of mine that (in a word) heshowed me to the door. We were then at a full stand; forwhatever shrewd suspicions we might entertain, we had no shadowof probation. In the very article, comes Captain Hoseason withthe story of your drowning; whereupon all fell through; with noconsequences but concern to Mr. Campbell, injury to my pocket,and another blot upon your uncle's character, which could veryill afford it. And now, Mr. Balfour," said he, "you understandthe whole process of these matters, and can judge for yourself towhat extent I may be trusted."Indeed he was more pedantic than I can represent him, and placedmore scraps of Latin in his speech; but it was all uttered with afine geniality of eye and manner which went far to conquer mydistrust. Moreover, I could see he now treated me as if I wasmyself beyond a doubt; so that first point of my identity seemedfully granted."Sir," said I, "if I tell you my story, I must commit a friend'slife to your discretion. Pass me your word it shall be sacred;and for what touches myself, I will ask no better guarantee thanjust your face."He passed me his word very seriously. "But," said he, "these arerather alarming prolocutions; and if there are in your story anylittle jostles to the law, I would beg you to bear in mind that Iam a lawyer, and pass lightly."Thereupon I told him my story from the first, he listening withhis spectacles thrust up and his eyes closed, so that I sometimesfeared he was asleep. But no such matter! he heard every word(as I found afterward) with such quickness of hearing andprecision of memory as often surprised me. Even strangeoutlandish Gaelic names, heard for that time only, he rememberedand would remind me of, years after. Yet when I called AlanBreck in full, we had an odd scene. The name of Alan had ofcourse rung through Scotland, with the news of the Appin murderand the offer of the reward; and it had no sooner escaped me thanthe lawyer moved in his seat and opened his eyes."I would name no unnecessary names, Mr. Balfour," said he; "aboveall of Highlanders, many of whom are obnoxious to the law.""Well, it might have been better not," said I, "but since I havelet it slip, I may as well continue.""Not at all," said Mr. Rankeillor. "I am somewhat dull ofhearing, as you may have remarked; and I am far from sure Icaught the name exactly. We will call your friend, if youplease, Mr. Thomson -- that there may be no reflections. And infuture, I would take some such way with any Highlander that youmay have to mention -- dead or alive."By this, I saw he must have heard the name all too clearly, andhad already guessed I might be coming to the murder. If he choseto play this part of ignorance, it was no matter of mine; so Ismiled, said it was no very Highland-sounding name, andconsented. Through all the rest of my story Alan was Mr.Thomson; which amused me the more, as it was a piece of policyafter his own heart. James Stewart, in like manner, wasmentioned under the style of Mr. Thomson's kinsman; ColinCampbell passed as a Mr. Glen; and to Cluny, when I came to thatpart of my tale, I gave the name of "Mr. Jameson, a Highlandchief." It was truly the most open farce, and I wondered thatthe lawyer should care to keep it up; but, after all, it wasquite in the taste of that age, when there were two parties inthe state, and quiet persons, with no very high opinions of theirown, sought out every cranny to avoid offence to either."Well, well," said the lawyer, when I had quite done, "this is agreat epic, a great Odyssey of yours. You must tell it, sir, ina sound Latinity when your scholarship is riper; or in English ifyou please, though for my part I prefer the stronger tongue. Youhave rolled much; quae regio in terris -- what parish in Scotland(to make a homely translation) has not been filled with yourwanderings? You have shown, besides, a singular aptitude forgetting into false positions; and, yes, upon the whole, forbehaving well in them. This Mr. Thomson seems to me a gentlemanof some choice qualities, though perhaps a trifle bloody-minded.It would please me none the worse, if (with all his merits) hewere soused in the North Sea, for the man, Mr. David, is a soreembarrassment. But you are doubtless quite right to adhere tohim; indubitably, he adhered to you. It comes -- we may say --he was your true companion; nor less paribus curis vestigiafigit, for I dare say you would both take an orra thought uponthe gallows. Well, well, these days are fortunately, by; and Ithink (speaking humanly) that you are near the end of yourtroubles."As he thus moralised on my adventures, he looked upon me with somuch humour and benignity that I could scarce contain mysatisfaction. I had been so long wandering with lawless people,and making my bed upon the hills and under the bare sky, that tosit once more in a clean, covered house, and to talk amicablywith a gentleman in broadcloth, seemed mighty elevations. Evenas I thought so, my eye fell on my unseemly tatters, and I wasonce more plunged in confusion. But the lawyer saw andunderstood me. He rose, called over the stair to lay anotherplate, for Mr. Balfour would stay to dinner, and led me into abedroom in the upper part of the house. Here he set before mewater and soap, and a comb; and laid out some clothes thatbelonged to his son; and here, with another apposite tag, he leftme to my toilet.