Why flames yon far summit--why shoot to the blast Those embers, like stars from the firmament cast?
'Tis the fire-shower of ruin, all dreadfully driven From thine eyrie, that beacons the darkness of Heaven.
CAMPBELL.
THE circumstances announced in the conclusion of the last chapter will account for the ready and cheerful reception of the Marquis of A---- and the Master of Ravenswood in the village of Wolf's Hope. In fact, Caleb had no sooner announced the conflagration of the tower than the whole hamlet were upon foot to hasten to extinguish the flames. And although that zealous adherent diverted their zeal by intimating the formidable contents of the subterranean apartments, yet the check only turned their assiduity into another direction. Never had there been such slaughtering of capons, and fat geese, and barndoor fowls; never such boiling of "reested" hams; never such ****** of car-cakes and sweet scones, Selkirk bannocks, cookies, and petticoat-tails--delicacies little known to the present generation. Never had there been such a tapping of barrels, and such uncorking of greybeards, in the village of Wolf's Hope. All the inferior houses were thrown open for the reception of the Marquis's dependants, who came, it was thought, as precursors of the shower of preferment which hereafter was to leave the rest of Scotland dry, in order to distil its rich dews on the village of Wolf's Hope under Lammermoor. The minister put in his claim to have the guests of distinction lodged at the manse, having his eye, it was thought, upon a neighbouring preferment, where the incumbent was sickly; but Mr. Balderstone destined that honour to the cooper, his wife, and wife's mother, who danced for joy at the preferences thus assigned them.
Many a beck and many a bow welcomed these noble guests to as good entertainment as persons of such rank could set before such visitors; and the old dame, who had formerly lived in Ravenswood Castle, and knew, as she said, the ways of the nobility, was in no whit wanting in arranging matters, as well as circumstances permitted, according to the etiquette of the times. The cooper's house was so roomy that each guest had his separate retiring-room, to which they were ushered with all due ceremony, while the plentiful supper was in the act of being placed upon the table.
Ravenswood no sooner found himself alone than, impelled by a thousand feelings, he left the apartment, the house, and the village, and hastily retraced his steps to the brow of the hill, which rose betwixt the village and screened it from the tower, in order to view the final fall of the house of his fathers. Some idle boys from the hamlet had taken the same direction out of curiosity, having first witnessed the arrival of the coach and six and its attendants. As they ran one by one past the Master, calling to each other to "Come and see the auld tower blaw up in the lift like the peelings of an ingan," he could not but feel himself moved with indignation. "And these are the sons of my father's vassals," he said--"of men bound, both by law and gratitude, to follow our steps through battle, and fire, and flood; and now the destruction of their liege lord's house is but a holiday's sight to them"These exasperating reflections were partly expresssed in the acrimony with which he exclaimed, on feeling himself pulled by the cloak: "What do you want, you dog?""I am a dog, and an auld dog too," answered Caleb, for it was he who had taken the *******, "and I am like to get a dog's wages;but it does not signification a pinch of sneesing, for I am ower auld a dog to learn new tricks, or to follow a new master."As he spoke, Ravenswood attained the ridge of the hill from which Wolf's Crag was visible; the flames had entirely sunk down, and, to his great surprise, there was only a dusky reddening upon the clouds immediately over the castle, which seemed the reflection of the embers of the sunken fire.
"The place cannot have blown up," said the Master; "we must have heard the report: if a quarter of the gunpowder was there you tell me of, it would have been heard twenty miles off.""It've very like it wad," said Balderstone, composedly.
"Then the fire cannot have reached the vaults?""It's like no," answered Caleb, with the same impenetrable gravity.
"Hark ye, Caleb," said his master, "this grows a little too much for my patience. I must go and examine how matters stand at Wolf's Crag myself.""Your honour is ganging to gang nae sic gate," said Caleb, firmly.
"And why not?" said Ravenswood, sharply; "who or what shall prevent me?""Even I mysell," said Caleb, with the same determination.
"You, Balderstone!" replied the Master; "you are forgetting yourself, I think.""But I think no," said Balderstone; "for I can just tell ye a'
about the castle on this knowe-head as weel as if ye were at it.
Only dinna pit yoursell into a kippage, and expose yoursell before the weans, or before the Marquis, when ye gang down-bye.""Speak out, you old fool," replied his master, "and let me know the best and the worst at once.""Ou, the best and the warst is, just that the tower is standing hail and feir, as safe and as empty as when ye left it.""Indeed! and the fire?" said Ravenswood.
"Not a gleed of fire, then, except the bit kindling peat, and maybe a spunk in Mysie's cutty-pipe," replied Caleb.
"But the flame?" demanded Ravenswood--"the broad blaze which might have been seen ten miles off--what occasioned that?""Hout awa'! it's an auld saying and a true--
Little's the light Will be seen far in a mirk night.
