Fiction > Book editions > London, 1893 - Catriona

TRAVELS IN HOLLAND. 281
liindraiice to myself. It was licr excuse, she said, that
she was not much used with walking shod. I Avould
have had her strip off' her shoes and stockings and go
barefoot. But she pointed out to me that the women
of that country, even in the landward roads, appeared
to be all shod.
" I must not be disgracing my brother," said she,
and was very merry with it all, although her face
told tales of her.
There is a garden in that city we were bound to,
sanded below with clean sand, the trees meeting over-
head, some of them trimmed, some pleached, and the
whole place beautified with alleys and arbours. Here I
left Catriona, and went forward by myself to find my
correspondent. There I drew on my credit, and asked
to be recommended to some decent, retired lodging.
My baggage not being yet arrived, I told him I sup-
posed I should require his caution with the people of
the house ; and explained that, my sister being come
for a while to keep house with me, I should be wanting
two chambers. This was all very well ; but the
trouble was that Mr. Balfour in his letter of recom-
mendation had condescended on a great deal of
particulars, and never a word of any sister in the case.
I could see my Dutchman was extremely suspicious ;
and viewing me over the rims of a great pair of
spectacles — he was a poor, frail body, and reminded
me of an infirm rabbit — he began to question me
close.
Here I fell in a panic. Suppose he accept my tale
(thinks I), suppose he invite my sister to his house,
and that I brinof her. I shall have a fine ravelled