Ruthven

“ Ruthven looked around to see McKenzie, clad in a dressing gown and slippers and his gaunt face like death itself, standing there. His burning eyes were fixed upon the caller.
"Father, go back!" begged the girl. "You are not fit to be on your feet." She turned appealingly to Ruthven. "You see?" she added.
Her father, however, pushed resolutely into the room and came slowly toward a chair. "Mr. Ruthven, Lois," said he, in a tone which he strove hard to command, "is a friend. ”

“ Ruthven paid no attention to the obvious as stated by his fellow scientist. His fury was a red, pulsing thing inside him, fed by his own helplessness. To be pinned here so near his goal, fastened up as a target for an inanimate but cunningly fashioned weapon, ate into him like a stream of deadly acid. His big gamble would puff out in a blast of fire to light up Topaz's sky, with nothing left—nothing. On the armrest of his sling-seat his nails scratched deep.
The four men in the control cabin could only sit and watch, waiting for the rendezvous which would blot them out. ”

“ At one side of the soiled and dusty wrapper Ruthven found the penciled cross which he had placed on the package for purposes of identification.
"What's on your mind?" asked Martin.
"Oh, nothing much," answered Ruthven wearily. "I've had a look inside the package when it weighed the heaviest, and all I've found is the footgear. This is enough to give a man a brain storm."
"Don't pester your mind with things you can't understand," advised the cowboy. "That's the shortest cut you can take to the crazy house. ”

“ But, nevertheless, Ruthven felt that the law required a duty of him.
"I hope the fellow isn't Morrison," he said to himself as he got up to go into the coach ahead to carry his investigations further.
Before he could reach the front platform, the conductor entered the car. "Jupiter!" exclaimed the trainman. "I thought you were with the superintendent's party?"
"I was," answered Ruthven, "but I thought I saw somebody I knew on the train as it pulled by, and I jumped on the last car."
"Make a mistake?" ”

“ Lord Ruthven, followed by Edwin and Murray, entered the room. And the two nephews were holding each a hand of their dying uncle in theirs, when Lady Ruthven (who, exhausted with fatigue and anxiety, had retired an hour before) , reappeared at the door of the apartment. She had been informed of the arrival of the regent and her son, and now hastened to give them a sorrowful welcome.
"Ah, my lord," cried she, as Wallace pressed her matron cheek to his; "this is not as your triumphs are wont to be greeted! You are still a conqueror, and yet death, dreadful death, lies all around us! ”

“ Round her son, growing into sturdy young manhood, her heart's roots wound themselves, striking deep into his life, till one day he, too, was laid beneath the yew trees in the churchyard. From that deep shadow she came forth, bearing her cross of service to her kind, to live a life fragrant with the airs of Heaven, in fellowship with Him who, for love of man, daily gave Himself to die.
It was through her nephew, Alan Ruthven, artist and poet, pure of heart and clean of life, that Jack Charrington came to know Ruthven Hall and its dwellers. ”

“ Ruthven nodded. "Don't call the fellow my friend, though," said he. "If he had been the man I thought he was he wouldn't have been that."
"Well, that chap is missing from among the passengers. I've gone through the train and he isn't aboard."
Ruthven started with surprise. "That means, then," he returned, "that he was the one who made the attempt on the express car!"
"I don't see how else you can figure it. His ticket read to Dry Wash, and he disappeared between Bluffton and Okaday. Why did he get off? Take it from me, he boarded Seventeen with the idea of rifling the messenger's safe. ”

“ I think I must constitute you my deaconess when Miss Ruthven is gone. Your very presence has a subduing effect upon the little savages. I never knew them so quiet before for a long time," Arthur said to Lucy in a low tone, which, low as it was, reached Anna's ear, but brought no pang of jealousy, or a sharp regret for what she felt was lost forever. ”

“ Lord Ruthven, who really loved Malvina, would much rather have sucked the blood of another man's wife than that of his own; so, at the request of Edgard, his servant, he willingly acceded to be present at his nuptials. The marriage takes place. Lord Ruthven is seen sitting down: the ballet is just about to begin, when an ancient bard comes forward with his harp; he was a guest at every castle, the poet invited to every marriage. He recognised Ruthven, who did not recognise him, being otherwise employed in ogling poor Lovette. ”

“ She was very beautiful this morning, and Arthur felt his heart beat rapidly as he looked at her, and thought any man who had not known Anna Ruthven would be glad to gather that bright creature in his arms and know she was his own. ”

“ I care more for Alixe Ruthven than—than you give me credit for caring about anybody. People are never wholly worthless, Mr. Lansing—only the very young think that. Give me credit for one wholly genuine affection, and you will not be too credulous; and perhaps in future you and I may better be able to endure one another when Fate lands us at the same tea-table."
Boots said respectfully: "I am sorry for what I said, Mrs. Pane. I hope that your friend Mrs. Ruthven will soon recover."
Rosamund looked at Nina, the tears still rimming her lids. ”

“ He was unknowing and unsuspecting that any man living had come with Ruthven.
Throughout the chase Ruthven was ever near the King, always urging him 'to hasten the end of the hunting.' The buck was slain close to the stables, and Ruthven would not allow James to wait for a second horse: that was sent after him. So the King did not even tarry to 'brittle' the buck, and merely told the Duke of Lennox, Mar, and others that he was riding to Perth to speak with Gowrie, and would return before evening. Some of the Court went to Falkland for fresh horses, other followed slowly with weary steeds. ”

“ Ruthven was apparently in perfect health, living in the country, maintaining a villa and staff of servants; that she might be seen driving a perfectly appointed Cossack sleigh any day with a groom on the rumble and a companion beside her; that she seemed to be perfectly sane, healthy in body and mind, comfortable, happy, and enjoying life under the protection of a certain Captain Selwyn, who paid all her bills and, at certain times, was seen entering or leaving her house at Edgewater. ”

“ RUTHVEN, WILLIAM, fourth Lord Ruthven and first Earl of Gowrie (1541?–1584) , second son of Patrick, third lord Ruthven [q. v.] , by Janet Douglas, natural daughter of Archibald, earl of Angus, was born about 1541. On 4 April 1562 the queen conceded to him and his wife, Dorothy Stewart, certain lands in the barony of Ruthven which his father resigned in his favour (Reg. Mag. Sig. Scot. 1546–80, No. 1413) . With his father he joined the conspiracy against Rizzio on 9 March 1566, and on the queen's escape to Dunbar he accompanied his father in his flight to England. ”

“ Ruthven, having finally quitted the Swedish service in 1638, was about the close of that year appointed muster master-general of the forces in Scotland. He was also one of the commissioners appointed in 1638 to require subscription to the king's covenant (Gordon, Scots Affairs, i. 109) . Although his appointment as muster master-general implied the command of Edinburgh Castle, he was prevented by the covenanters from entering it, and finally retired to Newcastle, where he obtained a letter of thanks from the king, dated York, 6 April 1639. He was also created Lord Ruthven of Ettrick. ”

“ Ruthven has kept away rather long and comes very late to his wedding. Aubry implores them to wait for the coming day, but in vain. Then he forgets his own danger and only sees that of his beloved, and when Ruthven is leading the bride to the altar, he loudly proclaims Ruthven to be a Vampire. At this moment a thunder-peal is heard and a flash of lightning destroys Ruthven, whose time of respite has ended at midnight. The old Laird, witnessing Heaven's {345} punishment, repents his error and gladly gives Malwina to her lover, while all praise the Almighty, who has turned evil into good. ”

“ It don’t seem but the other day since Mr Ruthven crossed the ocean.”
“But that wasna the first time he crossed the ocean. The first time they crossed it together. Allan Ruthven is an old friend, and Miss Graeme is no’ the one to give her faith lightly to any man.” ”

“ Swithin, refusing the sacrifice, thrusts Ruthven through with a sword, but to no avail. Oscar overpowers him, and the demoniac lord pronounces the beginning of a terrible curse; but Mary steps forward as if to accept her lover's punishment. Ruthven revokes his words, blesses her. As the Almighty's name issues from his lips, he falls dead and decaying.
"End of the play," said Varduk. "I daresay you have surmised what rôles I plan for you. Miss Holgar and Mr. Connatt are my choices for Malvina and Aubrey in the first act, and Mary and Swithin in the second. ”

“ Yet the seduction is not a gay one, and smacks of bird and snake. When Ruthven says to Bridget,
"You move and live but at my will; dost hear?"
and she answers dully:
"I hear and do submit,"
awareness rises of a darkling and menacing power. Again, as Aubrey mentions the fight with the bandits, Ruthven dismisses the subject with the careless,
"I faced them, and who seeks my face seeks death,"
one feels that he fears and spares an enemy no more than a fly. And, suddenly, he turned his attentions to Malvina:
"Yes, I am evil, and my wickedness
Draws to your glister and your purity. ”

“ He seized the opportunity, with one bound was out of the room, and in a moment found himself in the apartment where all were nearly assembled. Lord Ruthven was the first to perceive him: he immediately approached, and, taking his arm by force, hurried him from the room, speechless with rage. When on the staircase, Lord Ruthven whispered in his ear—"Remember your oath, and know, if not my bride to day, your sister is dishonoured. Women are frail!" So saying, he pushed him towards his attendants, who, roused by the old woman, had come in search of him. Aubrey could no longer support himself ”

“ He was a man of few words and of great compliance, and usually delivered that as his opinion which he foresaw would be grateful to the king’ (History of the Rebellion, viii. 30) . But, although superseded, Ruthven continued to retain the king's favour. He was appointed chamberlain to the Prince of Wales, and by a grant dated Oxford, 26 March 1645, his paternal coat-of-arms was augmented with bearings borrowed from the royal arms of England and of Scotland. He remained with the Prince of Wales in the west from March 1645 to March 1646, and afterwards accompanied him to Jersey and France. ”

“ But, if we grant that Mar, Lennox, and the rest—gentlemen, servants, retainers and menials of the Ruthvens, and citizens of Perth—were abandoned perjurers on some points, while scrupulously honourable on others equally essential, the narrative of the Ruthven apologist has a method, a consistency, which we do not find in modern systems unfavourable to the King.
For example, the modern theories easily show how James trapped the Master. He had only to lure him into a room, and cry ‘Treason.’ Then, even if untutored in his part, some hot-headed young man like Ramsay would stab Ruthven. ”

“ Graeme, you don’t know what you are talking about. It is quite absurd to suppose that what happened that night would make any difference to Allan Ruthven. You think him a saint, but trust me, he knows by experience how to make allowance for that sort of thing. If he has nothing worse than that against any one in his employment, he may think himself fortunate. ”

“ In the first place, the man might not be Weasel Morrison at all. Ruthven had a keen eye and a good memory for faces, but he had had only a quick look at one face in a car whose windows furnished a broadside of faces. ”

“ Ruthven said the man might make a noise, and discover the whole affair, causing the treasure to be meddled with. He himself would be missed by Gowrie, whereas, if James came at once, Gowrie and the townsfolk would be 'at the sermon.' James made no answer, but followed the hounds. Still he brooded over the story, sent for Ruthven, and said that the hunt once ended he would accompany him to Perth. ”

“ There was to be a race between the hand car and the speeder. Ruthven felt that he had never been in better trim to put up a good fight. And he still felt sure that he was going to lay hands on Weasel Morrison. ”

“ The young Earl of Fife held the government of the castle and town of Stirling; and as he had been a zealous supporter of the rebellious Lord Badenoch, Bruce negatized Ruthven's proposal to send in a messenger for the earl's division of the troops.
"No, my lord," said he, "like my friend Wallace, I will have no divided spirits near me; all must be earnest in my cause, or entirely out of the contest. I am content with the brave men around me." ”

“ Fane, too, smiled; his prominent soft brown eyes expressed gentlest good-humour, and he passed his hand reflectively over his unusually small and retreating chin. Perhaps he was thinking of the meeting in the Park that morning. It was amusing; but men do not speak of such things at their clubs, no matter how amusing. Besides, if the story were aired and were traced to him, Ruthven might turn ugly. There was no counting on Ruthven.
Meanwhile Selwyn, perplexed and worried, found young Erroll just entering the visitors' room, and greeted him with nervous cordiality. ”