The Heart of Mid-Lothian - Penn State University

He found the females at Auchingower very anxious
for the breaking up of the convivial party; for it was a
part of the arrangement, that although David Deans
was to remain at Auchingower, and Butler was that night
to take possession of the Manse, yet Jeanie, for whom
complete accommodations were not yet provided in her
father’s house, was to return for a day or two to the
Lodge at Roseneath, and the boats had been held in
readiness accordingly. They waited, therefore, for
Knockdunder’s return, but twilight came, and they still
waited in vain. At length Mr. Archibald, who was a man
of decorum, had taken care not to exceed in his conviviality,
made his appearance, and advised the females
strongly to return to the island under his escort; observing,
that, from the humour in which he had left the Captain,
it was a great chance whether he budged out of
the public-house that night, and it was absolutely certain
that he would not be very fit company for ladies.
The gig was at their disposal, he said, and there was still
pleasant twilight for a party on the water.
Jeanie, who had considerable confidence in Archibald’s
The Heart of Mid-Lothian
542
prudence, immediately acquiesced in this proposal; but
Mrs. Dolly positively objected to the small boat. If the
big boat could be gotten, she agreed to set out, otherwise
she would sleep on the floor, rather than stir a step.
Reasoning with Dolly was out of the question, and
Archibald did not think the difficulty so pressing as to
require compulsion. He observed, it was not using the
Captain very politely to deprive him of his coach and
six; “but as it was in the ladies’ service,” he gallantly
said, “he would use so much freedom—besides the gig
would serve the Captain’s purpose better, as it could
come off at any hour of the tide; the large boat should,
therefore, be at Mrs. Dolly’s service.”
They walked to the beach accordingly, accompanied
by Butler. It was some time before the boatmen could
be assembled, and ere they were well embarked, and
ready to depart, the pale moon was come over the hill,
and flinging a trembling reflection on the broad and glittering
waves. But so soft and pleasant was the night,
that Butler, in bidding farewell to Jeanie, had no apprehension
for her safety; and what is yet more extraordi-