Catriona | Page 3

a stoop that was like a piece of courtesy,
genteel and insinuating: he waved his hands plausibly as he went, and his face was sly
and handsome. I thought his eye took me in, but could not meet it. This procession went
by to a door in the close, which a serving-man in a fine livery set open; and two of the
soldier-lads carried the prisoner within, the rest lingering with their firelocks by the door.
There can nothing pass in the streets of a city without some following of idle folk and
children. It was so now; but the more part melted away incontinent until but three were
left. One was a girl; she was dressed like a lady, and had a screen of the Drummond
colours on her head; but her comrades or (I should say) followers were ragged gillies,
such as I had seen the matches of by the dozen in my Highland journey. They all spoke
together earnestly in Gaelic, the sound of which was pleasant in my ears for the sake of
Alan; and, though the rain was by again, and my porter plucked at me to be going, I even
drew nearer where they were, to listen. The lady scolded sharply, the others making
apologies and cringeing before her, so that I made sure she was come of a chief's house.
All the while the three of them sought in their pockets, and by what I could make out,
they had the matter of half a farthing among the party; which made me smile a little to
see all Highland folk alike for fine obeisances and empty sporrans.
It chanced the girl turned suddenly about, so that I saw her face for the first time. There is
no greater wonder than the way the face of a young woman fits in a man's mind, and
stays there, and he could never tell you why; it just seems it was the thing he wanted. She
had wonderful bright eyes like stars, and I daresay the eyes had a part in it; but what I
remember the most clearly was the way her lips were a trifle open as she turned. And,
whatever was the cause, I stood there staring like a fool. On her side, as she had not
known there was anyone so near, she looked at me a little longer, and perhaps with more
surprise, than was entirely civil.
It went through my country head she might be wondering at my new clothes; with that, I
blushed to my hair, and at the sight of my colouring it is to be supposed she drew her own
conclusions, for she moved her gillies farther down the close, and they fell again to this
dispute, where I could hear no more of it.
I had often admired a lassie before then, if scarce so sudden and strong; and it was rather
my disposition to withdraw than to come forward, for I was much in fear of mockery
from the womenkind. You would have thought I had now all the more reason to pursue
my common practice, since I had met this young lady in the city street, seemingly
following a prisoner, and accompanied with two very ragged indecent-like Highlandmen.
But there was here a different ingredient; it was plain the girl thought I had been prying
in her secrets; and with my new clothes and sword, and at the top of my new fortunes,
this was more than I could swallow. The beggar on horseback could not bear to be thrust
down so low, or, at least of it, not by this young lady.
I followed, accordingly, and took off my new hat to her the best that I was able.
"Madam," said I, "I think it only fair to myself to let you understand I have no Gaelic. It
is true I was listening, for I have friends of my own across the Highland line, and the

sound of that tongue comes friendly; but for your private affairs, if you had spoken Greek,
I might have had more guess at them."
She made me a little, distant curtsey. "There is no harm done," said she, with a pretty
accent, most like the English (but more agreeable). "A cat may look at a king."
"I do not mean to offend," said I. "I have no skill of city manners; I never before this day
set foot inside the doors of Edinburgh. Take me for a country lad--it's what I am; and I
would rather I told you than you found it out."
"Indeed, it will be a very unusual thing for strangers to be speaking to each other on the
causeway," she replied. "But if you are landward {2} bred it will be different. I am