Fiction > Book editions > London, 1889 - Master of Ballantrae

26 THE irASTEI! OF BALLAXTUAE.
making' coquettish advances that oppressed me to the
ground. Of the money she spoke more tragically.
" It's blood money ! " said she ; " I take it for that :
blood money for the betrayed ! See what I'm brought
down to ! Ahj if the bonnie lad were back again^ it
would be changed days. But he's deid — he's lyiu' deid
amang the Hieland hills — the bonnie lad, the bonnie
lad ! "
She had a rapt manner of crying on the bonnie lad,
clasping her hands and casting up her eyes, that I
think she must have learned of strolling players ; and I
thought her sorrow very much of an affectation, and
that she dwelled upon the business because her shame
was now all she had to be proud of. I will not say I
did not pity her, but it was a loathing pity at the best ;
and her last change of manner wiped it out. This was
when she had had enough of me for an audience, and
had set her name at last to the receipt. " There ! " says
she, and taking the most unwomanly oaths upon her
tongue, bade me begone and carry it to the Judas who
had sent me. It was the first time I had heard the
name applied to Mr. Henry ; I was staggered besides at
her sudden vehemence of word and manner, and got
forth from the room, under this shower of curses, like
a beaten dog. But even then I was not quit, for the
vixen threw up her windov/, and, leaning forth, continued
to revile me as I went up the wynd; the freetraders?
coming to the tavern door, joined in the mockery, and