WhenDalgettymountedhissteed,hefoundhimselfattended,orperhapsguarded,byfiveorsixCampbells,wellarmed,commandedbyone,who,fromthetargetathisshoulder,andtheshortcock\'sfeatherinhisbonnet,aswellasfromthestatewhichhetookuponhimself,claimedtherankofaDunniewassel,orclansmanofsuperiorrank;andindeed,fromhisdignityofdeportment,couldnotstandinamoredistantdegreeofrelationshiptoSirDuncan,thanthatoftenthortwelfthcousinatfarthest。Butitwasimpossibletoextractpositiveinformationonthisoranyothersubject,inasmuchasneitherthiscommandernoranyofhispartyspokeEnglish。TheCaptainrode,andhismilitaryattendantswalked;butsuchwastheiractivity,andsonumeroustheimpedimentswhichthenatureoftheroadpresentedtotheequestrianmodeoftravelling,thatfarfrombeingretardedbytheslownessoftheirpace,hisdifficultywasratherinkeepingupwithhisguides。Heobservedthattheyoccasionallywatchedhimwithasharpeye,asiftheywerejealousofsomeefforttoescape;andonce,ashelingeredbehindatcrossingabrook,oneofthegilliesbegantoblowthematchofhispiece,givinghimtounderstandthathewouldrunsomeriskincaseofanattempttopartcompany。Dalgettydidnotaugurmuchgoodfromtheclosewatchthusmaintaineduponhisperson;buttherewasnoremedy,foranattempttoescapefromhisattendantsinanimperviousandunknowncountry,wouldhavebeenlittleshortofinsanity。Hethereforeploddedpatientlyonthroughawasteandsavagewilderness,treadingpathswhichwereonlyknowntotheshepherdsandcattle—drivers,andpassingwithmuchmoreofdiscomfortthansatisfactionmanyofthosesublimecombinationsofmountainousscenerywhichnowdrawvisitorsfromeverycornerofEngland,tofeasttheireyesuponHighlandgrandeur,andmortifytheirpalatesuponHighlandfare。
AtlengththeyarrivedonthesouthernvergeofthatnoblelakeuponwhichInveraryissituated;andabugle,whichtheDunniewasselwindedtillrockandgreenwoodrang,servedasasignaltoawell—mannedgalley,which,startingfromacreekwhereitlayconcealed,receivedthepartyonboard,includingGustavus;whichsagaciousquadruped,anexperiencedtravellerbothbywaterandland,walkedinandoutoftheboatwiththediscretionofaChristian。
EmbarkedonthebosomofLochFine,CaptainDalgettymighthaveadmiredoneofthegrandestsceneswhichnatureaffords。HemighthavenoticedtherivalriversArayandShiray,whichpaytributetothelake,eachissuingfromitsowndarkandwoodedretreat。Hemighthavemarked,onthesoftandgentleslopethatascendsfromtheshores,thenobleoldGothiccastle,withitsvariedoutline,embattledwalls,towers,andouterandinnercourts,which,sofarasthepicturesqueisconcerned,presentedanaspectmuchmorestrikingthanthepresentmassiveanduniformmansion。Hemighthaveadmiredthosedarkwoodswhichformanyamilesurroundedthisstrongandprincelydwelling,andhiseyemighthavedweltonthepicturesquepeakofDuniquoich,startingabruptlyfromthelake,andraisingitsscathedbrowintothemistsofmiddlesky,whileasolitarywatch—tower,perchedonitstoplikeaneagle\'snest,gavedignitytothescenebyawakeningasenseofpossibledanger。Allthese,andeveryotheraccompanimentofthisnoblescene,CaptainDalgettymighthavemarked,ifhehadbeensominded。But,toconfessthetruth,thegallantCaptain,whohadeatennothingsincedaybreak,waschieflyinterestedbythesmokewhichascendedfromthecastlechimneys,andtheexpectationswhichthisseemedtowarrantofhisencounteringanabundantstockofprovant,ashewaswonttocallsuppliesofthisnature。
Theboatsoonapproachedtheruggedpier,whichabuttedintothelochfromthelittletownofInverary,thenarudeassemblageofhuts,withaveryfewstonemansionsinterspersed,stretchingupwardsfromthebanksofLochFinetotheprincipalgateofthecastle,beforewhichascenepresenteditselfthatmighteasilyhavequelledalessstoutheart,andturnedamoredelicatestomach,thanthoseofRitt—masterDugaldDalgetty,titularofDrumthwacket。
CHAPTERXII。