human
I am pleased to make your acquaintance, Mr. Balfour, he said, when he had done.
gpt
Let me offer you a glass of claret.
human
Under your favour, my lord, I think it would scarce be fair on me, said I.
gpt
I have come here, as the letter will have mentioned, on a business of some gravity to myself; and as I am little used with wine, I might be the sooner affected.
human
You shall be the judge, said he.
gpt
But if you will permit, I believe I will even have the bottle in myself.
human
You are sure you will not join me? asked the Advocate.
gpt
Well, here is to our better acquaintance! In what way can I serve you?
human
I should perhaps begin by telling you, my lord, that I am here at your own pressing invitation,
gpt
You have the advantage of me somewhere, said he,
human
Right, my lord; the name is indeed new to you, said I.
gpt
And yet you have been for some time extremely wishful to make my acquaintance, and have declared the same in public.
human
I wish you would afford me a clue, says he.
gpt
I am no Daniel.
human
It will perhaps serve for such, said I,
gpt
In what sense?
human
In the sense of rewards offered for my person,
gpt
What am I to understand?
human
I quoted,
gpt
I recognise those words, said he,
human
My purpose in this, I replied,
gpt
I can only suppose (seeing you here) that you claim to be innocent,
human
The inference is clear, I said.
gpt
I am a very loyal subject to King George, but if I had anything to reproach myself with, I would have had more discretion than to walk into your den.
human
I am glad of that, said he.
gpt
This horrid crime, Mr. Balfour, is of a dye which cannot permit any clemency. Blood has been barbarously shed. It has been shed in direct opposition to his Majesty and our whole frame of laws, by those who are their known and public oppugnants. I take a very high sense of this. I will not deny that I consider the crime as directly personal to his Majesty.
human
And unfortunately, my lord, I added a little drily,
gpt
If you mean anything by those words, I must tell you I consider them unfit for a good subject; and were they spoke publicly I should make it my business to take note of them, said he.
human
You do not appear to me to recognise the gravity of your situation, or you would be more careful not to pejorate the same by words which glance upon the purity of justice. Justice, in this country, and in my poor hands, is no respecter of persons.
gpt
You give me too great a share in my own speech, my lord, said I.
human
I did but repeat the common talk of the country, which I have heard everywhere, and from men of all opinions as I came along.
gpt
When you are come to more discretion you will understand such talk is not to be listened to, how much less repeated, says the Advocate.
human
But I acquit you of an ill intention. That nobleman, whom we all honour and who has indeed been wounded in a near place by the late barbarity, sits too high to be reached by these aspersions. The Duke of Argyle--you see that I deal plainly with you--takes it to heart as I do, and as we are both bound to do by our judicial functions and the service of his Majesty; and I could wish that all hands, in this ill age, were equally clean of family rancour. But from the accident that this is a Campbell who has fallen martyr to his duty--as who else but the Campbells have ever put themselves foremost on that path? I may say it, who am no Campbell--and that the chief of that great house happens (for all our advantages) to be the present head of the College of Justice, small minds and disaffected tongues are set agog in every changehouse in the country; and I find a young gentleman like Mr. Balfour so ill-advised as to make himself their echo. So much he spoke with a very oratorical delivery, as if in court, and then declined again upon the manner of a gentleman.
gpt
All this apart, said he.
human
It now remains that I should learn what I am to do with you.
gpt
I had thought it was rather I that should learn the same from your lordship,
human
Ay, true, says the Advocate.
gpt
But, you see, you come to me well recommended. There is a good honest Whig name to this letter, says he, picking it up a moment from the table.
human
And--extra-judicially, Mr. Balfour--there is always the possibility of some arrangement. I tell you, and I tell you beforehand that you may be the more upon your guard, your fate lies with me singly. In such a matter (be it said with reverence) I am more powerful than the king's Majesty; and should you please me--and of course satisfy my conscience--in what remains to be held of our interview, I tell you it may remain between ourselves.
gpt
Meaning how?
human
Why, I mean it thus, Mr. Balfour, said he,
gpt
I suppose it is needless anyone should be informed upon my visit, said I,
human
And have no cause to be, says he, encouragingly.
gpt
Nor yet (if you are careful) to fear the consequences.
human
My lord, said I,
gpt
And I am sure I do not seek to frighten you, says he.
human
But to the interrogation; and let me warn you to volunteer nothing beyond the questions I shall ask you. It may consist very immediately with your safety. I have a great discretion, it is true, but there are bounds to it.
gpt
I shall try to follow your lordship's advice,
human
It appears you were present, by the way, in the wood of Lettermore at the moment of the fatal shot, he began.
gpt
Was this by accident?
human
By accident,
gpt
How came you in speech with Colin Campbell?
human
I was inquiring my way of him to Aucharn,
gpt
H'm, true, said he,
human
I had forgotten that. And do you know, Mr. Balfour, I would dwell, if I were you, as little as might be on your relations with these Stewarts? It might be found to complicate our business. I am not yet inclined to regard these matters as essential.
gpt
I had thought, my lord, that all points of fact were equally material in such a case,
human
You forget we are now trying these Stewarts, he replied, with great significance.
gpt
If we should ever come to be trying you, it will be very different; and I shall press these very questions that I am now willing to glide upon. But to resume: I have it here in Mr. Mungo Campbell's precognition that you ran immediately up the brae. How came that?
human
Not immediately, my lord, and the cause was my seeing of the murderer.
gpt
You saw him, then?
human
As plain as I see your lordship, though not so near hand.
gpt
You know him?
human
I should know him again.
gpt
In your pursuit you were not so fortunate, then, as to overtake him?
human
I was not.
gpt
Was he alone?
human
He was alone.
gpt
There was no one else in that neighbourhood?
human
Alan Breck Stewart was not far off, in a piece of a wood.
gpt
I think we are playing at cross purposes, said he,
human
I content myself with following your lordship's advice, and answering what I am asked,
gpt
Be so wise as to bethink yourself in time, said he.
human
I use you with the most anxious tenderness, which you scarce seem to appreciate, and which (unless you be more careful) may prove to be in vain.
gpt
I do appreciate your tenderness, but conceive it to be mistaken, I replied, with something of a falter, for I saw we were come to grips at last.
human
I am here to lay before you certain information, by which I shall convince you Alan had no hand whatever in the killing of Glenure.
gpt
Mr. Balfour, he said at last,
human
I tell you pointedly you go an ill way for your own interests.
gpt
My lord, I said,
human
I am as free of the charge of considering my own interests in this matter as your lordship. As God judges me, I have but the one design, and that is to see justice executed and the innocent go clear. If in pursuit of that I come to fall under your lordship's displeasure, I must bear it as I may.