human
I understand, she said, in a casual sort of way,
gpt
Oh, yes, said her grandfather, in his serene and stately fashion.
human
Oh, yes. A most promising young man—a young man who will make his mark. Perhaps he is riding too many hobbies; and yet it might not be prudent to interfere and advise; a young man in his position is apt to be hot-headed—
gpt
Mrs. Ellison, interposed Maisrie,
human
Ob, really, said the pretty widow with a most charming smile (perhaps she was glad of this opportunity of talking to the young lady herself)
gpt
It is a collection of poems written by Scotchmen living in America and Canada, answered Maisrie, quite simply.
human
My grandfather made the acquaintance of several of them, and heard of others; and he thought that a volume of extracts, with a few short biographical notices, might be interesting to the Scotch people over here. For it is about Scotland that they mostly write, I think, and of their recollections—perhaps that is only natural.
gpt
And when may we expect it?
human
Oh, well, the old man made answer, with an air of magnificent unconcern,
gpt
he continued, seeing that Mrs. Ellison listened meekly,
human
I have undertaken to write for my friend Carmichael of the _Edinburgh Chronicle_ a series of papers on a branch of our own family that attained to great distinction in the Western Isles during the reign of the Scotch Jameses—the learned Beatons of Islay and Mull.
gpt
Oh, indeed,
human
Yes, resumed old George Bethune, with much dignified complacency,
gpt
Ellison,
human
Mrs. Ellison—I beg your pardon—my hearing is not what it was. _Ullahm_, in the Gaelic tongue means at once a Doctor of Medicine and a wise man—
gpt
They distinguish between the terms in English,
human
continued the old man, quite oblivious of interruption: indeed he seemed to be reading something out of his memory, rather than addressing particularly any one of his audience.
gpt
A certain Hector Beaton, indeed, got a considerable grant in Islay for having cured one of the Jameses when all the Edinburgh Faculty had failed; and I myself have seen in the island of Iona the tombstone of the last of the Mull doctors of the name, who died so late as 1657. _Hic jacet Johannes Betonus Maclenorum familiæ Medicus_: no doubt there must be some mention of those Beatons in the archives of the various families of Maclean in Mull. Then I daresay I could get a drawing of the tombstone—though I can remember the inscription well enough. The coat of arms, too, has the three mascles of the Bethunes—
human
Of the Bethunes?—then you are of the same family?
gpt
I would rather say, he observed, with some stiffness,
human
Then there was Mary Beaton, of the Queen’s Maries,
gpt
An idle tale—a popular rhyme, said he.
human
There is no real foundation for the story of Mary Hamilton that ever I could get hold of. Of course there may have been a Mary Beaton at Queen Mary’s court—what more likely?—and Mary Beaton would come trippingly to the popular tongue in conjunction with Mary Seton; but that is all. It is with real people, and important people, I shall have to deal when I get to the Advocates Library in Edinburgh.
gpt
Oh, yes, certainly—of course—I quite understand, she said, humbly. And then she rose.
human
Well, I must be getting back to my friends, Vin, or they will think I have slipped over the side and been drowned.
gpt
But won’t you stay to dinner, aunt? said he.
human
I wish you would!
gpt
Oh, no, thanks, I really couldn’t, she answered with a sudden earnestness that became more intelligible to him afterwards.
human
I couldn’t run away from my hosts like that. Then she turned to Mr. Bethune and his granddaughter.
gpt
By the way, she said,
human
Lord Musselburgh is coming down to-morrow—merely for the day—and he will be on board the _Villeggiatura_. Would you all of you like to come along and have a look over the boat; or shall I send him to pay you a visit here?
gpt
Our acquaintance with Lord Musselburgh is so very slight, Mrs. Ellison, said she,