Walter Scott

“ When I was quartered in a monastery in Flanders, in the campaign of 1793, I never lived more comfortably in my life. They were jolly fellows, the Flemish canons, and right sorry was I to leave my good quarters, and to know that my honest hosts were to be at the mercy of the sansculottes. But fortune de la guerre!'
The poor Benedictine looked down and was silent. I had unwittingly awakened a train of bitter reflections, or rather I had touched somewhat rudely upon a chord which seldom ceased to vibrate of itself. ”

“ Every other person had, or seemed to have, something to do, less or more. They did not, indeed, precisely go to school and learn tasks, that last of evils in my estimation; but it did not escape my boyish observation, that they were all bothered with something or other like duty or labour—all but the happy Captain Doolittle. ”

“ My new friend hastened to relieve my indecision. 'I was about to request your assistance, sir,' he said, 'in a matter which cannot but interest you as an antiquary and a person of research. But I assure you it relates entirely to events and persons removed to the distance of two centuries and a half. I have experienced too much evil from the violent unsettlement of the country in which I was born, to be a rash labourer in the work of innovation in that of my ancestors.'
I again assured him of my willingness to assist him in anything that was not contrary to my allegiance or religion. ”

“ We soon stood in the aisle, which, by the account of the Benedictine, contained the bones of the family of Glendinning, and were busily employed in removing the rubbish from a corner which the stranger pointed out. If a half-pay Captain could have represented an ancient Border-knight, or an ex-Benedictine of the nineteenth century a wizard monk of the sixteenth, we might have aptly enough personified the search after Michael Scott's lamp and book of magic power. But the sexton would have been de trop in the group. ”

“ Such and so great is the difference betwixt reading a thing one's self, making toilsome way through all the difficulties of manuscript, and, as the man says in the play, 'having the same read to you;' it is positively like being wafted over a creek in a boat, or wading through it on your feet with the mud up to your knees. Still, however, there remained the great difficulty of finding some one who could act as editor, corrector at once of the press and of the language, which, according to the schoolmaster, was absolutely necessary. ”

“ No one, I believe, will be able to object to us under our new establishment, that the extent of our revenues will be inconsistent with our vows of poverty and abstinence; but let us strive to be thankful to God, that the snare of temporal abundance is removed from us.'
'Many of your convents abroad, sir,' said I, 'enjoyed very handsome incomes; and yet, allowing for times, I question if any were better provided for than the monastery of this village. ”

“ But who, alas! can form a just estimate of their future prospects in this deceitful world? I was not long engaged in my new profession before I discovered that if the independent indolence of half-pay was a paradise, the officer must pass through the purgatory of duty and service in order to gain admission to it. Captain Doolittle might brush his blue coat with the red neck, or leave it unbrushed, at his pleasure; but Ensign Clutterbuck had no such option. Captain Doolittle might go to bed at ten o'clock if he had a mind ”

“ For the purpose of commencing my new way of life, I selected for my residence the village of Kennaquhair, in the south of Scotland, celebrated for the ruins of its magnificent Monastery, intending there to lead my future life in the otium cum dignitate of half-pay and annuity. I was not long, however, in making the grand discovery, that in order to enjoy leisure it is absolutely necessary it should be preceded by occupation. ”

“ There's a gentleman up yonder that will not sleep sound in his bed this blessed night unless he has the pleasure to drink a glass of wine with you.'
'You know, David,' I replied, with becoming dignity, 'that I cannot with propriety go out to visit strangers at this time of night, or accept of invitations from people of whom I know nothing.'
David swore a round oath, and added, 'Was ever the like heard of? He has ordered a fowl and egg sauce, a pancake and minched collops and a bottle of sherry. ”

“ Thus, a stranger to the ordinary motives which lead young men to make the army their choice, and without the least desire to become either a hero or a dandy, I really do not know what determined my thoughts that way, unless it were the happy state of half-pay indolence enjoyed by Captain Doolittle, who had set up his staff of rest in my native village. ”

“ The stranger stooped eagerly to assist him.
'Na, na, haill o' my ain,' said the sexton; 'nae halves or quarters; 'and he lifted from amongst the ruins a small leaden box.
'You will be disappointed, my friend,' said the Benedictine, 'if you expect anything there but the mouldering dust of a human heart, closed in an inner case of porphyry.' I interposed as a neutral party, and, taking the box from the sexton, reminded him, that if there were treasure concealed in it, still it could not become the property of the finder. ”

“ Since the trees walked forth to choose themselves a king, never was an honour so bandied about. The parson would not leave the quiet of his chimney-corner—the bailie pleaded the dignity of his situation and the approach of the great annual fair, as reasons against going to Edinburgh to make arrangements for printing the Benedictine's manuscript. The schoolmaster alone seemed of malleable stuff ”

“ Why, indeed, transfer the relics of a holy and worthy man to a country w-here religion and virtue are become the mockery of the scorner? I have now a home, which I trust may be permanent, if anything in this earth can be termed so. ”

“ Ah, David, this has been some of your chattering; you are perpetually bringing your guests on my shoulders, as if it were my business to entertain every man who comes to the George.'
'What the deil wad ye hae me do, Captain?' answered mine host; 'a gentleman lights down, and asks me, in a most earnest manner, what man of sense and learning there is about our town that can tell him about the antiquities of the place, and specially about the auld abbey—ye wadna hae me tell the gentleman a lee? ”

“ I know the value which men of your persuasion put upon the bodies and limbs of saints. I have seen the Three Kings of Cologne.'
'The relics which I seek, however,' said the Benedictine, 'are not precisely of that nature. The excellent relative whom I have already mentioned, amused his leisure hours with putting into form the traditions of his family, particularly some remarkable circumstances which took place about the first breaking out of the schism of the church in Scotland. ”

“ On Fridays when they fasted.'
'I understand you, sir,' said the Benedictine; 'it is difficult, saith the proverb, to carry a full cup without spilling. Unquestionably the wealth of the community, as it endangered the safety of the establishment by exciting the cupidity of others, was also in frequent instances a snare to the brethren themselves. And yet we have seen the revenues of convents expended, not only in acts of beneficence and hospitality to individuals, but in works of general and permanent advantage to the world at large. ”

“ During these promenades, the ruins necessarily forced themselves on my attention, and, by degrees, I found myself engaged in studying the more minute ornaments, and at length the general plan of this noble structure. The old sexton aided my labours, and gave me his portion of traditional lore. Every day added something to my stock of knowledge respecting the ancient state of the building ”

“ But the landlord of the period was not the same civil and quiet person by whom the inn is now kept. David Kyle, a Melrose proprietor of no little importance, a first-rate person of consequence in whatever belonged to the business of the town, was the original owner and landlord of the inn. Poor David, like many other busy men, took so much care of public affairs as in some degree to neglect his own. There are persons still alive at Kennaquhair who can recognize him and his peculiarities in the following sketch of mine host of the George. ”

“ He was, moreover, pleased to favour us with his company to supper; and having taken the lion's share of two bottles of sherry, he not only sanctioned with his plenary authority the stranger's removal of the heart, but, I believe, would have authorized the removal of the abbey itself, were it not that it happens considerably to advantage the worthy publican's own custom. ”

“ A European potentate, who still cherishes the Catholic faith, has offered us a retreat within his dominions, where a few of my scattered brethren are already assembled, to pray to God for blessings on their protector and pardon to their enemies. ”

“ They just danced like mad when they looked on the friars' heads, and the nuns' heads, in the cloister yonder; they took to them like auld acquaintance like. Od, he is not stirring yet, inair than he were a through-stane! [8] I never kenn'd a Roman, to say kenn'd him, but ane—mair by token, he was the only ane in the town to ken—and that was auld Jock of the Pend. It wad hae been lang ere ye fand Jock praying in the abbey in a thick night, wi' his knees on a cauld stane. Jock likit a kirk wi' a chimley in't. Mony a merry ploy I hae had wi' him down at the inn yonder ”

“ He became so much interested in his own labours, that at length he resolved that the heart of one individual, the hero of his tale, should rest no longer jn a land of heresy, now deserted by all his kindred. ”

“ And mair he said that I have forgotten, but I weel remember it ended, "And, landlord, get a bottle of your best sherry, and supper for two." Ye wadna have had me refuse to do the gentleman's bidding, and me a publican?'
'Well, David,' said I, 'I wish your virtuoso had taken a fitter hour; but as you say he is a gentleman——'
'I'se uphaud him that: the order speaks for itsell—a bottle of sherry—minched collops and a fowl—that 's speaking like a gentleman, I trow? That 's right, Captain, button weel up, the night's raw; but the water's clearing for a' that ”

“ Deputy Register of Scotland, [4] and his lucubrations; a gentleman whose indefatigable research into the national records is like to destroy my trade and that of all local antiquaries, by substituting truth instead of legend and romance. Alas! I would the learned gentleman did but know how difficult it is for us dealers in petty wares of antiquity to ”