The beginning of this lamentation really had something affecting, but the conclusion rendered laughter irresistible. ’Never mind, Bailie,’ said Ensign Maccombich, ’for the gude auld times of rugging and riving (pulling and tearing) are come back again, an’ Sneckus Mac-Snackus (meaning, probably, annexis, connexis), and a’ the rest of your friends, maun gie place to the langest claymore.’
‘And that claymore shall be ours, Bailie,’ said the Chieftain, who saw that Macwheeble looked very blank at this intimation.
’We’ll give them
the metal our mountain affords,
Lillibulero,
bullen a la,
And in place of broad-pieces,
we’ll pay with broadswords,
Lero,
lero, etc.
With duns and with debts we
will soon clear our score,
Lillibulero,
etc.
For the man that’s thus
paid will crave payment no more,
Lero,
lero, etc.
[Footnote: These lines, or something like them, occur in an old magazine of the period.]
But come, Bailie, be not cast down; drink your wine with a joyous heart; the Baron shall return safe and victorious to Tully-Veolan, and unite Killancureit’s lairdship with his own, since the cowardly half-bred swine will not turn out for the Prince like a gentleman.’
‘To be sure, they lie maist ewest,’ said the Bailie, wiping his eyes, ‘and should naturally fa’ under the same factory.’
‘And I,’ proceeded the Chieftain,’shall take care of myself, too; for you must know, I have to complete a good work here, by bringing Mrs. Flockhart into the bosom of the Catholic church, or at least half way, and that is to your Episcopal meeting-house. O Baron! if you heard her fine counter-tenor admonishing Kate and Matty in the morning, you, who understand music, would tremble at the idea of hearing her shriek in the psalmody of Haddo’s Hole.’
’Lord forgie you, colonel, how ye rin on! But I hope your honours will tak tea before ye gang to the palace, and I maun gang and mask it for you.’
So saying, Mrs. Flockhart left the gentlemen to their own conversation, which, as might be supposed, turned chiefly upon the approaching events of the campaign.