CHAPTER XXX

GOOD-BYE

So far as I was concerned myself, I had come to port; but I had still Alan, to whom I was so much beholden, on my hands; and I felt besides a heavy charge in the matter of the murder and James of the Glens.  On both these heads I unbosomed to Rankeillor the next morning, walking to and fro about six of the clock before the house of Shaws, and with nothing in view but the fields and woods that had been my ancestors’ and were now mine.  Even as I spoke on these grave subjects, my eye would take a glad bit of a run over the prospect, and my heart jump with pride.

About my clear duty to my friend, the lawyer had no doubt.  I must help him out of the county at whatever risk; but in the case of James, he was of a different mind.

“Mr. Thomson,” says he, “is one thing, Mr. Thomson’s kinsman quite another.  I know little of the facts, but I gather that a great noble (whom we will call, if you like, the D. of A.)* has some concern and is even supposed to feel some animosity in the matter.  The D. of A. is doubtless an excellent nobleman; but, Mr. David, timeo qui nocuere deos.  If you interfere to balk his vengeance, you should remember there is one way to shut your testimony out; and that is to put you in the dock.  There, you would be in the same pickle as Mr. Thomson’s kinsman.  You will object that you are innocent; well, but so is he.  And to be tried for your life before a Highland jury, on a Highland quarrel and with a Highland Judge upon the bench, would be a brief transition to the gallows.”

     * The Duke of Argyle.

Now I had made all these reasonings before and found no very good reply to them; so I put on all the simplicity I could.  “In that case, sir,” said I, “I would just have to be hanged—­would I not?”

“My dear boy,” cries he, “go in God’s name, and do what you think is right.  It is a poor thought that at my time of life I should be advising you to choose the safe and shameful; and I take it back with an apology.  Go and do your duty; and be hanged, if you must, like a gentleman.  There are worse things in the world than to be hanged.”

“Not many, sir,” said I, smiling.

“Why, yes, sir,” he cried, “very many.  And it would be ten times better for your uncle (to go no farther afield) if he were dangling decently upon a gibbet.”

Thereupon he turned into the house (still in a great fervour of mind, so that I saw I had pleased him heartily) and there he wrote me two letters, making his comments on them as he wrote.