Quick, for it is a matter of lifeand death to
her.
There, if the fates are kind, is now, or willsoon
be, the Merry Mouth boat.
I will give orders to theservants to sit up for
you. Hetold himself that he was cool and wary, but he knew that he wasstrung as
tense as a bow. It is a mission of life and death, and it concerns a place closeby
called the Merry Mouth.
More, there was thesound of a key turning. From his
perch Nanty got a new impression of the loneliness of theplace.
Sir Turnour demanded, and his peremptorytone
frightened her into stammering.
Nanty began to understand
Jocksinfatuation.
Their words he did not understand, and the tunes
hadnone of the brisk lilt of his own land.
The womanknows you and may think the better of us
on your account.
It was by her order, and a difficult job I had
ofit. Hearken to me, and Ill give you an auld wifesreading.
It had a slow sad rhythm, which died away now and
then into aninfinite regret. He hammered with his staff and shouted, andpresently an
old woman limped in from the back parts.
Her eyes were red with rheum, and she had a foul
mutchatop of her dishevelled grey hair.
This young Diana leading the Fife Hunt would turn
anyboys head.
The stage was being duly set for a black drama. She
has got herself a road-book and a map, and is studying themwith two pairs of
spectacles.
I will give orders to theservants to sit up for
you.
I have set out the case to myself a hundred times,
but I can reachno finality.
Youve the look of a schoolmaster, or apreacher, or
maybe an attorneys jackal.