Yet though thou mayst be dragg'd in scorn
To yonder ignominious tree,
Thou shalt not want one faithful friend
To share the cruel fates' decree.
Jemmy Dawson.
After spending the greater part of the morning in his devotions (for his benevolent
neighbours had kindly insisted upon discharging his task of ordinary labour),
David Deans entered the apartment when the breakfast meal was prepared. His
eyes were involuntarily cast down, for he was afraid to look at Jeanie, uncertain
as he was whether she might feel herself at liberty, with a good conscience, to
attend the Court of Justiciary that day, to give the evidence which he understood
that she possessed, in order to her sister's exculpation. At length, after a minute
of apprehensive hesitation, he looked at her dress to discover whether it seemed
to be in her contemplation to go abroad that morning. Her apparel was neat and
plain, but such as conveyed no exact intimation of her intentions to go abroad.
She had exchanged her usual garb for morning labour, for one something inferior
to that with which, as her best, she was wont to dress herself for church, or any
more rare occasion of going into society. Her sense taught her, that it was
respectful to be decent in her apparel on such an occasion, while her feelings
induced her to lay aside the use of the very few and simple personal ornaments,
which, on other occasions, she permitted herself to wear. So that there occurred
nothing in her external appearance which could mark out to her father, with
anything like certainty, her intentions on this occasion.
The preparations for their humble meal were that morning made in vain. The
father and daughter sat, each assuming the appearance of eating, when the
other's eyes were turned to them, and desisting from the effort with disgust, when
the affectionate imposture seemed no longer necessary.
At length these moments of constraint were removed. The sound of St. Giles's
heavy toll announced the hour previous to the commencement of the trial; Jeanie
arose, and with a degree of composure for which she herself could not account,
assumed her plaid, and made her other preparations for a distant walking. It was
a strange contrast between the firmness of her demeanour, and the vacillation
and cruel uncertainty of purpose indicated in all her father's motions; and one
unacquainted with both could scarcely have supposed that the former was, in her
ordinary habits of life, a docile, quiet, gentle, and even timid country maiden,
while her father, with a mind naturally proud and strong, and supported by
religious opinions of a stern, stoical, and unyielding character, had in his time
undergone and withstood the most severe hardships, and the most imminent
peril, without depression of spirit, or subjugation of his constancy. The secret of
this difference was, that Jeanie's mind had already anticipated the line of conduct
