"
"Oh, that's it, yes! I remember! I knew your father, or your
grandfather, or your grandson, or somebody--the more's my curse!
Out of this I must be gone, and that at once! Tell them to put the
horses to. Little I thought when I left Cairntod where I was going
to find myself! I would rather be in--and have done with it! Lord!
Lord! to think of a trifle like that not being forgotten yet! Are
there no doors out? Give me brandy, I say. There's some in my
pocket somewhere. Look you! I don't know what coat I had on
yesterday! or where it is!"
He threw himself back in his chair. The laird set about looking if
he had brought the brandy of which he spoke; it might be well to
let him have some. Not finding it, he would have gone to search the
outer garments his lordship had put off in the kitchen; but he
burst out afresh:
"I tell you--and confound you, I say that you have to be told
twice--I will not be left alone with that child! He's as good as
nobody! What could HE do if--" Here he left the sentence
unfinished.
"Very well, my lord," responded the laird, "I will not leave you.
Cosmo shall go and look for the brandy-flask in your lordship's
greatcoat."
"Yes, yes, good boy! you go and look for it. You're all Cosmos, are
you? Will the line never come to an end! A cursed line for me--if
it shouldn't be a rope-line! But I had the best of the game after
all!--though I did lose my two rings.
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