“What more?” said Janet.  “Do you know anything more, Aminadab?”

“Yes; but I am eating Logie’s pork, and don’t like to say much.”

“Never mind the pork, man; speak out.  Do the folks down in the town say anything, or shake their heads, or point their fingers?”

“Well, they say there’s a human being confined in it,” replied Aminadab.  “And so they may, for sounds have been heard coming from the dark hole—­ay, and I have heard them myself—­deep moans and weeping.  I would like to know if there’s a secret.”

“Hush, hush, Aminadab.  There is a secret, and you’re the only man I would speak of it to.”

And Mrs. McPherson rose solemnly and locked the door upon herself and her henchman.

“You know, Aminadab, that my master came from Bombay some years ago, and brought home with him a black wife.  Dear, good soul—­so kind, so timid, so cheerful too; but, Heaven help me, what could I do?—­for you know Mr. Fletcher is a terrible man.  He does not fear the face of clay; and the scowl upon his face when he is in his moods is terrible.  I am bound to obey.”

“But what of her?” said Aminadab.  “It’s no surely she who is in the horrid hole?”

“Never you mind that, but eat your bacon, you fool for stopping me.  When I’m stopped, I seldom begin again for a day and night at least.”

“Something like your master, Janet.”

“No, Aminadab; I have a heart, lad.”

“That I know, Janet,” said Aminadab, with a lump of pork in his mouth; “and—­and—­it—­is—­fat—­lass.”

“And the easier swallowed,” said she

“I meant your heart, Mrs. McPherson.

“And I must swallow that too, as it seems to come up my throat and choke me, even as the pork seems to do you.  Take time, Aminadab.  There’s no hurry, man.  Ah well, then, we have it all among the servants how Mr. Fletcher got my lady.  He was a great man in Bombay—­governor, I think, or something near that—­and my lady was the only daughter of the Nawab or Nabob of some kingdom near Bombay—­I forget the strange Indian name.  She was the very petted child of her father; and when Mr. Fletcher saw her, she was running about the palace like a wild, playful creature—­I may say, our bonny little roes of the Highland hills, or maybe another creature she used to speak about, I think they call it gazelle, with such wonderful eyes for shining, that you cannot look into them no more you could at the sun.  For, oh, Aminadab! they have strange things in these places, which are much nearer the sun than we are here in this old country.  But the mighty Nabob was unwilling to give her to the white-faced lover, even though he was the governor of Bombay, forbye having Balinsloe and Lindertes in Scotland too.  Maybe he thought a Scotsman could not like a black Indian princess, though she was with her grand shawls about her, and her jewelled turban, and diamonds and pearls, and all that; and maybe, Aminadab, he thought”—­and here Janet lowered her husky voice—­“that it was just for these fine things he wanted her, rich though he was himself.  Yet, strange enough too, the Nabob had promised the man who should marry his daughter the weight of herself in fine Indian gold, weighed in a balance, as her tocher.  Heard ye ever the like of a tocher, man?”