The mendicant, like a man detected in a frolic, put his bonnet before his face, yet could not help laughing heartily.--``The deil's in you, Monkbarns, for garring odds and evens meet.Wha thought ye wad hae laid that and that thegither?
Od, I am clean catch'd now.''
``I see it all,'' said Oldbuck, ``as plain as the legend on a medal of high preservation--the box in which the' bullion was found belonged to the gun-brig, and the treasure to my phoenix?''--(Edie nodded assent),--``and was buried there that Sir Arthur might receive relief in his difficulties?''
``By me,'' said Edie, ``and twa o' the brig's men--but they didna ken its contents, and thought it some bit smuggling concern o' the Captain's.I watched day and night till I saw it in the right hand; and then, when that German deevil was glowering at the lid o' the kist (they liked mutton weel that licked where the yowe lay), I think some Scottish deevil put it into my head to play him yon ither cantrip.Now, ye see, if Ihad said mair or less to Bailie Littlejohn, I behoved till hae come out wi' a' this story; and vexed would Mr.Lovel hae been to have it brought to light--sae I thought I would stand to onything rather than that.''
``I must say he has chosen his confidant well,'' said Oldbuck, ``though somewhat strangely.''
``I'll say this for mysell, Monkbarns,'' answered the mendicant, ``that I am the fittest man in the haill country to trust wi' siller, for I neither want it, nor wish for it, nor could use it if I had it.But the lad hadna muckle choice in the matter, for he thought he was leaving the country for ever (I trust he's mistaen in that though); and the night was set in when we learned, by a strange chance, Sir Arthur's sair distress, and Lovel was obliged to be on board as the day dawned.But five nights afterwards the brig stood into the bay, and I met the boat by appointment, and we buried the treasure where ye fand it.''
``This was a very romantic, foolish exploit,'' said Oldbuck:
``why not trust me, or any other friend?''
``The blood o' your sister's son,'' replied Edie, ``was on his hands, and him maybe dead outright--what time had he to take counsel?--or how could he ask it of you, by onybody?''
``You are right.But what if Dousterswivel had come before you?''
``There was little fear o' his coming there without Sir Arthur:
he had gotten a sair gliff the night afore, and never intended to look near the place again, unless he had been brought there sting and ling.He ken'd weel the first pose was o' his ain hiding, and how could he expect a second? He just havered on about it to make the mair o' Sir Arthur.''
``Then how,'' said Oldbuck, ``should Sir Arthur have come there unless the German had brought him?''
``Umph!'' answered Edie drily.``I had a story about Misticot wad hae brought him forty miles, or you either.Besides, it was to be thought he would be for visiting the place he fand the first siller in--he ken'd na the secret o' that job.In short, the siller being in this shape, Sir Arthur in utter difficulties, and Lovel determined he should never ken the hand that helped him, --for that was what he insisted maist upon,--we couldna think o' a better way to fling the gear in his gate, though we simmered it and wintered it e'er sae lang.And if by ony queer mischance Doustercivil had got his claws on't, I was instantly to hae informed you or the Sheriff o' the haill story.''
``Well, notwithstanding all these wise precautions, I think your contrivance succeeded better than such a clumsy one deserved, Edie.But how the deuce came Lovel by such a mass of silver ingots?''
``That's just what I canna tell ye--But they were put on board wi' his things at Fairport, it's like, and we stowed them into ane o' the ammunition-boxes o' the brig, baith for concealment and convenience of carriage.''
``Lord!'' said Oldbuck, his recollection recurring to the earlier part of his acquaintance with Lovel; ``and this young fellow, who was putting hundreds on so strange a hazard, I must be recommending a subscription to him, and paying his bill at the Ferry! I never will pay any person's bill again, that's certain.--And you kept up a constant correspondence with Lovel, I suppose?''
``I just gat ae bit scrape o' a pen frae him, to say there wad, as yesterday fell, be a packet at Tannonburgh, wi' letters o' great consequence to the Knockwinnock folk; for they jaloused the opening of our letters at Fairport--And that's a's true; I hear Mrs.
Mailsetter is to lose her office for looking after other folk's business and neglecting her ain.''
``And what do you expect now, Edie, for being the adviser, and messenger, and guard, and confidential person in all these matters?''