Fiction > Book editions > New York, 1893 - David Balfour

DAVID BALFOUR 403
but not particularly open. We asked of the news of
James More. " Poor James ! " said he, and shook his
head and smiled, so that I thought he knew further
than he meant to tell. Then we showed him Palisser's
letter, and he drew a long face at that.
''Poor James I" said he again. ''Well, there are
worse folk than James More, too. But this is dreadful
bad. Tut, tut, he must have forgot himself entirely I
This is a most undesirable letter. But, for all that,
gentlemen, I cannot see what we would want to make
it public for. It's an ill bird that fouls his own nest,
and we are all Scots folk and all tlieland."
Upon this we were all agreed, save perhaps i^lan;
and still more upon the question of our marriage,
which Bohaldie took in his own hands, as though there
had been no such person as James More, and gave
Catriona away with very pretty manners and agreeable
compliments in French. It was not till all was over,
and our healths drunk, that he told us James was in
that city, whither he had preceded us some days, and
where he now lay sick, and like to die. I thought I
saw by my wife's face what way her inclination pointed.
'•'And let us go see him, then," said I.
"If it is your pleasure," said Catriona. These were
early days.
He was lodged iu the same quarter of the city with
his chief, in a great house upon a corner ; and we were
guided up to the garret where he lay by the sound of