Mr. Balderstone had been a
person in their eyes connected with a superior order of beings, whose
presence used to grace their little festivities, whose advice they found
useful on many occasions, and whose communications gave a sort of credit
to their village. The place, they acknowledged, "didna look as it used
to do, and should do, since Mr. Caleb keepit the castle sae closely;
but doubtless, touching the eggs and butter, it was a most unreasonable
demand, as Mr. Dingwall had justly made manifest."
Thus stood matters betwixt the parties, when the old butler, though it
was gall and wormwood to him, found himself obliged either to ackowledge
before a strange man of quality, and, what was much worse, before that
stranger's servant, the total inability of Wolf's Crag to produce a
dinner, or he must trust to the compassion of the feuars of Wofl's Hope.
It was a dreadful degradation; but necessity was equally imperious and
lawless. With these feelings he entered the street of the village.
Willing to shake himself from his companion as soon as possible, he
directed Mr.
Pages:
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256