第21章

_Launcelot Gobbo._ Mark me now: Now will I raise the waters.

Merchant of Venice.

The theatre at Fairport had opened, but no Mr.Lovel appeared on the boards, nor was there anything in the habits or deportment of the young gentleman so named, which authorised Mr.Oldbuck's conjecture that his fellow-traveller was a candidate for the public favour.Regular were the Antiquary's inquiries at an old-fashioned barber who dressed the only three wigs in the parish which, in defiance of taxes and times, were still subjected to the operation of powdering and frizzling, and who for that purpose divided his time among the three employers whom fashion had yet left him; regular, I say, were Mr.Oldbuck's inquiries at this personage concerning the news of the little theatre at Fairport, expecting every day to hear of Mr.

Lovel's appearance; on which occasion the old gentleman had determined to put himself to charges in honour of his young friend, and not only to go to the play himself, but to carry his womankind along with him.But old Jacob Caxon conveyed no information which warranted his taking so decisive a step as that of securing a box.

He brought information, on the contrary, that there was a young man residing at Fairport, of whom the _town_ (by which he meant all the gossips, who, having no business of their own, fill up their leisure moments by attending to that of other people) could make nothing.He sought no society, but rather avoided that which the apparent gentleness of his manners, and some degree of curiosity, induced many to offer him.Nothing could be more regular, or less resembling an adventurer, than his mode of living, which was simple, but so completely well arranged, that all who had any transactions with him were loud in their approbation.

``These are not the virtues of a stage-struck hero,'' thought Oldbuck to himself; and, however habitually pertinacious in his opinions, he must have been compelled to abandon that which he had formed in the present instance, but for a part of Caxon's communication.``The young gentleman,'' he said, ``was sometimes heard speaking to himsell, and rampauging about in his room, just as if he was ane o' the player folk.''

Nothing, however, excepting this single circumstance, occurred to confirm Mr.Oldbuck's supposition; and it remained a high and doubtful question, what a well-informed young man, without friends, connections, or employment of any kind, could have to do as a resident at Fairport.Neither port wine nor whist had apparently any charms for him.He declined dining with the mess of the volunteer cohort which had been lately embodied, and shunned joining the convivialities of either of the two parties which then divided Fairport, as they did more important places.He was too little of an aristocrat to join the club of Royal True Blues, and too little of a democrat to fraternise with an affiliated society of the _soi-disant_ Friends of the People, which the borough had also the happiness of possessing.Acoffee-room was his detestation; and, I grieve to say it, he had as few sympathies with the tea-table.--In short, since the name was fashionable in novel-writing, and that is a great while agone, there was never a Master Lovel of whom so little positive was known, and who was so universally described by negatives.

One negative, however, was important--nobody knew any harm of Lovel.Indeed, had such existed, it would have been speedily made public; for the natural desire of speaking evil of our neighbour could in his case have been checked by no feelings of sympathy for a being so unsocial.On one account alone he fell somewhat under suspicion.As he made free use of his pencil in his solitary walks, and had drawn several views of the harbour, in which the signal tower, and even the four-gun battery, were introduced, some zealous friends of the public sent abroad a whisper, that this mysterious stranger must certainly be a French spy.The Sheriff paid his respects to Mr.Lovel accordingly; but in the interview which followed, it would seem that he had entirely removed that magistrate's suspicions, since he not only suffered him to remain undisturbed in his retirement, but it was credibly reported, sent him two invitations to dinner-parties, both which were civilly declined.But what the nature of the explanation was, the magistrate kept a profound secret, not only from the public at large, but from his substitute, his clerk, his wife and his two daughters, who formed his privy council on all questions of official duty.

All these particulars being faithfully reported by Mr.Caxon to his patron at Monkbarns, tended much to raise Lovel in the opinion of his former fellow-traveller.``A decent sensible lad,''

said he to himself, ``who scorns to enter into the fooleries and nonsense of these idiot people at Fairport--I must do something for him--I must give him a dinner;--and I will write Sir Arthur to come to Monkbarns to meet him.I must consult my womankind.''

Accordingly, such consultation having been previously held, a special messenger, being no other than Caxon himself, was ordered to prepare for a walk to Knockwinnock Castle with a letter, ``For the honoured Sir Arthur Wardour, of Knockwinnock, Bart.'' The contents ran thus: