All the journey--sleeping or waking, day or night--Lord Cairnforth
arranged or dreamed over his plans, until at ten o'clock the second
night he found himself driving along the familiar Princes Street, with
the grim Castle rock standing dark against the moonlight; while beyond,
on the opposite side of what was then a morass, but is now railways and
gardens, rose tier upon tier, like a fairy palace, the glittering lights
of the old town of Edinburg.
Chapter 13
The earl reached Edinburg late at night. Mrs. Campbell entreated him to
go to bed, and not seek out the street where the Bruces lived till
morning.
"For I ken the place weel," said she, when she heard Lord Cairnforth
inquiring for the address Helen had given. "It's ane o' thae high lands
in the New Town--a grand flat wi' a fine ha' door--and then ye
gang up an' up, till at the top flat ye find a bit nest like a bird's
--and the folk living there are as ill off as a bird in winter-time."
The earl, weary as he had been, raised his head at this, and spoke
decisively,
"Tell Malcolm to fetch a coach. I will go there tonight."
"Eh! Couldna ye bide till the morn? Ye'll just kill yourself,' my
lamb," cried the affectionate woman, forgetting all her respect in her
affection; but Lord Cairnforth understood it, and replied in the good
old Scotch, which he always kept to warm his nurse's heart,
"Na, na, I'll no dee yet.
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