The daughter of Trapbois, who had by this time
joined them, muffled up in a long dark hood and mantle, exclaimed to
Lord Glenvarloch--"Let them leave it if they will, let them leave it
all; let us but escape from this horrible place."
We have mentioned elsewhere, that Nigel was a very athletic young man,
and, impelled by a strong feeling of compassion and indignation, he
showed his bodily strength singularly on this occasion, by seizing on
the ponderous strong-box, and, by means of the rope he had cast around
it, throwing it on his shoulders, and marching resolutely forward
under a weight, which would have sunk to the earth three young
gallants, at the least, of our degenerate day. The waterman followed
him in amazement, calling out, "Why, master, master, you might as well
gie me t'other end on't!" and anon offered his assistance to support
it in some degree behind, which after the first minute or two Nigel
was fain to accept. His strength was almost exhausted when he reached
the wherry, which was lying at the Temple Stairs according to
appointment; and, when he pitched the trunk into it, the weight sank
the bow of the boat so low in the water as well-nigh to overset it.
"We shall have as hard a fare of it," said the waterman to his
companion, "as if we were ferrying over an honest bankrupt with all
his secreted goods--Ho, ho! good woman, what, are you stepping in
for?--our gunwale lies deep enough in the water without live lumber to
boot.
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