It is an error to suppose that the Jacobites were ready to surrender all hope of resistance without a last bid for terms, if not for victory. Culloden was lost, but a large body of the clans1 had not come up in time to engage in the battle. An ignominious2 flight spelt utter ruin to the chiefs and unquestioned submission3 to the Government, whereas a stand in the hills was eminently4 suited to Highland5 warfare6. Cavalry7 were useless in rough country and southern soldiers easily outwitted and confused.
Had Prince Charles not lost his head in the debacle of Culloden he might have remained King of the Highlands if not of Scotland itself.
Unfortunately, the strength of the Jacobite army was also its greatest weakness. Quick to mobilize and equipped by centuries of warfare for the field, they were also unaccustomed to a prolonged campaign. The quick fight and the swift retreat, the raid by night and the tireless pursuit were their notion of war. They cared little enough for the rights or wrongs of a quarrel so long as they could kill a man or two, and make home again with a few head of cattle.
For this reason the delay and confusion following hard upon Culloden played havoc8 with the Jacobite army. Once their faces were set homewards no power on earth could stop the clans. They were weary of campaigning on scanty9 fare and small pay. A few short days and the Children of the Mist were gathered into their own mountains and the army had melted into a few scattered10 remnants waiting for a leader. On the shores of Arkaig a few futile11 conferences took place, and then followed hard the inevitable12 dispersion.
Lord Lovat, on whom the chiefs still laid a certain trust, was carried to Muirlaggan, where Lochiel, Glenbucket, Murray of Broughton and others awaited him.
Murray of Broughton shivering with illness, with flickering14 agitated15 eyes, stood tapping with his fingers upon the rough table. He knew Lovat of old, and had suffered at his hands; Lochiel, pale from his wound, looked liked a man more heart-broken than anxious. Of all the Jacobite leaders he was the great gentleman and one whose life and motives16 were of the purest.
Lord Lovat was perfectly17 at his ease. He took the head of the table without question, scrutinizing18 each face from under his shaggy brows unconquered as ever.
Lochiel shook his head.
"No, no," he said vacantly, "it is our poor people that we are minded of," at which Murray nodded, avoiding Lovat's stony20 stare.
"I too, have a clan," said the old man sombrely, "I have never forgotten that. There is also my son."
They had in common courtesy to acknowledge that he was as deeply involved as any.
"It is our duty to prevent Cumberland taking a ruthless vengeance21 on our people," he continued; "rather than leave them to Hanoverian justice, we should be prepared to die sword in hand."
Murray of Broughton stirred uneasily.
"I fear your lordship does not know how scattered our forces are—the Prince flying for his life—the clans unwilling22 to mobilize again."
Very slowly Lovat raised his face, and stared Murray down. Then turning to Lochiel he said: "Is that not true?" as though the Prince's secretary had not spoken at all.
"I am ready to sacrifice everything if we can make a stand," replied the chief of the Camerons simply.
"I think," corrected Lovat with composure, "I caught it finely."
"Your lordship's pardon if I seem to take a liberty," said Roy Stuart, "but what can we do more than we have done during the last few months? We have been promised French aid—none has come. We have looked for French gold—there has been little enough of that. The English Jacobites have lain like rats in a hole."
"And we—those of us who can run," retorted Lovat, "are like rats without a hole. There are occasions, Mr. Stuart, when even rats can face the cat—and rout24 him too."
"The Prince," barked Lovat, "gave his last order on Culloden Moor27. We are done with princes and Irishmen and grand French promises; we are men with everything to lose and something to gain. Maybe your profession, Mr. Murray, or is it your Lowland blood, has made you unacquainted with the lengths that despair may drive a man."
"I trust," replied Lovat, in a melancholy30 undertone, "you may never have a chance to repay the compliment."
"Come, come," broke in Lochiel, "this is no time for contentions31. If it is decided32 that we shall raise the clans we must make speed. I take it that we are of one mind upon that?"
Lovat nodded his head before any could speak.
"Could we but raise a few thousand men," he said, "and we shall show the Duke what Highland warfare may mean. Let us meet again in ten days' time each with his people. Send out the summons, Lochiel. Let the Prince take ship to France if he will—so long as we do not betray each other" (and here he looked hard at Murray) "we are as safe as wild-cats in Argyll."
There was a loud murmur33 of approval from those about him. Now, as always, Lovat had carried the day. He had come, an old sick man, coughing in his litter, facing a dozen men fairly eaten up with fear and perplexity. In one short hour he had them at his heel. With a body as sound as his mind he would have raised the Highlands himself.
Still Murray of Broughton, that creaking door, must have his word. It was more his habit of mind than any real evil in the man. He was the soul of method, and concise34 as the Lord President himself. Perhaps he suspected Lovat, as Lovat in all sincerity35 suspected him. Perhaps he was influenced by such reason as he possessed36. It may be that he foresaw what was ordained37, and knew Lovat for what he was.
"My lord," he said in his hesitating voice, "I have little influence here—I have no people to consider—I am not a soldier, only a man of business who has tried to serve the cause."
They waited while Lovat watched him as a snake watches a rabbit.
"Supposing, my lord, that the clans are persuaded to rise again, what kind of campaign can you carry on? Where can you obtain your supplies, your ammunition38, or money to pay our troops? Already the coast is patrolled—the Highlands surrounded and the roads to the south cut off—what kind of mercy will the isolated39 places receive—the very places where you hope to obtain provisions? They will so harry40 the country, my lord, to starve you out that the very sight of women and children coming to you in the direst starvation will make you regret this step. It is starvation, and not defeat, will give you your answer, my lord."
"There's truth in what he says," murmured a man behind Lochiel.
"Mr. Murray," said Lovat, "I doubt not you speak with sincerity, but this is a matter on which we must take our own counsel. Look to your own safety, Mr. Murray, and no gentleman here will say you acted unbecomingly."
It had become a contest between these two—Lovat forcing the pace to save his neck, and Murray, knowing what was behind it all, struggling, who can say why, to dissuade41 them from further bloodshed.
He moistened his lips and played his last card.
"As you will, gentlemen," he said suavely42, "It is for you to decide. But as a man of business, since your lordship has discounted any finer qualities in me, might I suggest that perhaps a memorandum43 of this meeting, a pledge to bind44 us together, would give adhesion to such a proposal. It is only natural, and in desperate straits where all must live or fall together, a prudent45 course to take."
Lovat gripped the edge of the table with his hands. This was a blow indeed. His face changed colour. He seemed for a moment to quiver as though he were icy cold, his head commencing to shake from side to side.
"I agree to that entirely," said Lochiel.
"No, no," came from Lovat in a whisper.
"Did your lordship speak?" he asked.
"I did," said Lovat, rising to his strength again, "I see nothing but danger and needless formality in such proceedings47. We are not men of business, Mr. Murray—we are Highland gentlemen."
It was a bold throw, but it won the hearts of many there, who hated Murray and his fiddling48 Lowland ways. Only Lochiel said nothing, swayed two ways at once, and ready to faint with the pain of his wound.
"Bravely spoken," remarked Lovat, "let us meet with our men in ten days' time. I can promise three hundred Frasers, if not more."
They all rose at that and conferred together before parting, each one promising50 a regiment51, and that word should go through the hills.
Only Murray stood alone, and only Murray saw a man enter with a package and hand it to Lovat. He watched the old man open it—he noted52 how he started and frowned. More than that, he read the sudden terror in his face.
"Bring that man back!" cried the Fraser, but none heard him (save Murray), and when he learned at last that the messenger was nowhere to be found he groaned53 and a kind of despair settled upon his face like a mask.
But the thing that puzzled Murray was the nature of the package. For it held no paper (that he could see) but only a strip of Fraser tartan, and that very stained in one corner like the discoloration of blood.
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1
clans
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| 宗族( clan的名词复数 )； 氏族； 庞大的家族； 宗派 | |
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ignominious
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| adj.可鄙的，不光彩的，耻辱的 | |
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submission
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| n.服从，投降；温顺，谦虚；提出 | |
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eminently
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| adv.突出地；显著地；不寻常地 | |
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highland
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| n.(pl.)高地，山地 | |
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warfare
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| n.战争(状态)；斗争；冲突 | |
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cavalry
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| n.骑兵；轻装甲部队 | |
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havoc
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| n.大破坏，浩劫，大混乱，大杂乱 | |
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scanty
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| adj.缺乏的，仅有的，节省的，狭小的，不够的 | |
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scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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futile
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| adj.无效的，无用的，无希望的 | |
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inevitable
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| adj.不可避免的，必然发生的 | |
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reverence
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| n.敬畏，尊敬，尊严；Reverence:对某些基督教神职人员的尊称；v.尊敬，敬畏，崇敬 | |
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flickering
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| adj.闪烁的，摇曳的，一闪一闪的 | |
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agitated
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| adj.被鼓动的，不安的 | |
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motives
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| n.动机，目的( motive的名词复数 ) | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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scrutinizing
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| v.仔细检查，详审( scrutinize的现在分词 ) | |
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coup
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| n.政变；突然而成功的行动 | |
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stony
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| adj.石头的，多石头的，冷酷的，无情的 | |
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vengeance
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| n.报复，报仇，复仇 | |
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unwilling
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| adj.不情愿的 | |
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fluster
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| adj.慌乱，狼狈，混乱，激动 | |
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rout
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| n.溃退，溃败；v.击溃，打垮 | |
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bleated
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| v.（羊，小牛）叫( bleat的过去式和过去分词 )；哭诉；发出羊叫似的声音；轻声诉说 | |
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tepid
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| adj.微温的，温热的，不太热心的 | |
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moor
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| n.荒野，沼泽；vt.(使)停泊；vi.停泊 | |
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sneer
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| v.轻蔑；嘲笑；n.嘲笑，讥讽的言语 | |
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blurted
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| v.突然说出，脱口而出( blurt的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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melancholy
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| n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的 | |
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31
contentions
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| n.竞争( contention的名词复数 )；争夺；争论；论点 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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murmur
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| n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言 | |
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concise
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| adj.简洁的，简明的 | |
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sincerity
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| n.真诚，诚意；真实 | |
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possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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ordained
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| v.任命（某人）为牧师( ordain的过去式和过去分词 )；授予（某人）圣职；（上帝、法律等）命令；判定 | |
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ammunition
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| n.军火，弹药 | |
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isolated
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| adj.与世隔绝的 | |
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harry
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| vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼 | |
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41
dissuade
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| v.劝阻，阻止 | |
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suavely
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memorandum
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| n.备忘录，便笺 | |
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bind
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| vt.捆，包扎；装订；约束；使凝固；vi.变硬 | |
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45
prudent
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| adj.谨慎的，有远见的，精打细算的 | |
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46
relish
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| n.滋味，享受，爱好，调味品；vt.加调味料，享受，品味；vi.有滋味 | |
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47
proceedings
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| n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报 | |
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48
fiddling
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| 微小的 | |
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49
defer
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| vt.推迟，拖延；vi.(to)遵从，听从，服从 | |
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50
promising
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| adj.有希望的，有前途的 | |
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51
regiment
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| n.团，多数，管理；v.组织，编成团，统制 | |
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52
noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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53
groaned
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| v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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