'Oh no! The Laird came to the rescue like a man and a gentleman, as he always does; and, in fact, if the Duchess had behaved herself, and Soph and I had been under her wing, I do not believe the poor oppressed child would have had courage or opportunity to send you your message, sir, so do not be harbouring bad thoughts of the poor Duchess! Ah! ah! And by the way, there is more message yet! Sophia says her father does not believe the rumours which her mother has been so ready to accept; and--but she blushed and stammered and I could not make sense of it, for you see I was not in your confidence, Mr. Prudence--but, if I were an old woman and understood about those sort of things, it sounded suspiciously like bidding you carry your tale to 'Papa!' Ha! Have I found you out, old gentleman? I suppose I may go for a governess now; I may be losing my place as house-keeper any day!' And she laughed merrily while Roderick coloured and looked confused, but intensely happy.
When the Doctor came to visit his patient that afternoon, he was astonished at the improvement in his condition, and quite confirmed in his belief as to the wisdom of his own prescriptions, and general course of treatment.
CHAPTER XXVI.
[FAMA CLAMOSA].
The meeting was an undeniable success. The chairman called on his reverend supporters for addresses, which they made in their warmest and most florid style. They recalled the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the Temple, when each man laboured with his sword by his side, and worked, and watched, and fought by turns; till every hearer present believed that he might emulate Nehemiah and Zerubbabel by contributing to the collection, and began to finger his loose change with a view to doing it. There were stirring references, too, to John Knox, (especially to the scene at Holyrood, when he spoke back to the Queen,) to George Wishart and Andrew Rutherford, Margaret Wilson, John Brown of Priesthill, martyred by 'Clavers,' Jenny Geddes with her creepie attacking the Dean of Edinburgh, and other Scots Worthies.
Then followed reports, statements of funds and calculations of expenses from the Deacons, and finally speeches from all who chose to address the meeting. This last feature in the proceedings was especially popular. Every greybeard in the crowd was in turn urged and goaded by his admiring family and neighbours to step forward, and when, after much shame-faced trepidation, he had hummed and stuttered through a few sentences and would finally come to a dead stop and return to his friends, he had earned the self-satisfied consciousness that he was a potential orator, and that 'gin the Lord had but granted him schulin' in his youth, he might have wagged his pow in a poopit wi' the best.'
At length the hoary grandsires had all spoken, the fathers, the sons, even the 'halflin callants,' began to feel the stirrings of ambitious eloquence. Luckie Howden, too, felt movings to rehearse her testimony in favour of good morals, and Brother Dowlas saw it was time to draw the line. In a whisper he called attention to the practice of Saint Paul, who suffered not a woman to teach--a sentiment which was overheard by Mrs. Sangster, and elicited from her a look of most contemptuous wonder, but nevertheless received the adhesion of the Laird. They therefore proceeded to lay the foundation stone, with appropriate prayer and praise, and the proceedings came to an end.
At this moment, Mr. Dowlas came forward and stated in a loud voice that he had been requested to intimate 'that the Session and Deacons' Court were requested to assemble for special and important business at the Post Office, immediately after the close of the present meeting.' Mr. Sangster was taken by surprise. He asked on whose authority the intimation had been made, but the reverend announcer replied that a written notice had been placed in his hand, and that he and Mr. Geddie had been requested to be present.
The elders and deacons were already assembled when Mr. Sangster and the ministers entered the place of meeting, Joseph bringing up the rear in his most official manner, yet diffidently,--as if uncertain whether he were wanted,--but still desirous to know what was going forward, and willing to give weight to it by the presence of the beadle. He stood by the door with his hand meekly before his mouth, and surveyed the silent assemblage, whom he afterwards described to Jean Macaulay as resembling 'a curran hoolets wi' their muckle blinkin' een, lookin' terrible wise an' sayin' naething.' Perhaps it was in their silence that their wisdom lay.
Ebenezer Prittie, being host, or at least the party in occupation of the premises, rose to his feet, and after clearing his voice, proposed that the ruling elder, Mr. Sangster of Auchlippie, now take the chair, and that the clerk of session take the desk and minute the proceedings.