My　doubted　and　dangerous　companion　signed　to　me　to　enter　the　carriagethe　man　who　had　ridden　on　the　left　side　of　my　horse　stepped　in　after　me；　and　drawing　up　the　blinds　of　the　vehicle；　gave　the　signal　for　instant　departure。
  I　had　obtained　a　glimpse　of　the　countenance　of　my　new　companion；　as　by　the　aid　of　a　dark　lantern　the　drivers　opened　the　carriage　door；　and　I　was　wellnigh　persuaded　that　I　recognized　in　him　the　domestic　of　the　leader　of　this　party；　whom　I　had　seen　at　his　house　in　Brokenburn　on　a　former　occasion。　　To　ascertain　the　truth　of　my　suspicion；　I　asked　him　whether　his　name　was　not　Cristal　Nixon。
  'What　is　other　folk's　names　to　you；'　he　replied；　gruffly；　'who　cannot　tell　your　own　father　and　mother？'
  'You　know　them；　perhaps！'　　I　exclaimed　eagerly。　　'You　know　them！　and　with　that　secret　is　connected　the　treatment　which　I　am　now　receiving？　　It　must　be　so；　for　in　my　life　have　I　never　injured　any　one。　　Tell　me　the　cause　of　my　misfortunes；　or　rather；　help　me　to　my　liberty；　and　I　will　reward　you　richly。'
  'Aye；　aye；'　replied　my　keeper；　'but　what　use　to　give　you　liberty；　who　know　nothing　how　to　use　it　like　a　gentleman；　but　spend　your　time　with　Quakers　and　fiddlers；　and　such　like　raff！　　If　I　was　yourhem；　hem；　hem！'
  Here　Cristal　stopped　short；　just　on　the　point；　as　it　appeared；　when　some　information　was　likely　to　escape　him。　　I　urged　him　once　more　to　be　my　friend；　and　promised　him　all　the　stock　of　money　which　I　had　about　me；　and　it　was　not　inconsiderable；　if　he　would　assist　in　my　escape。
  He　listened；　as　if　to　a　proposition　which　had　some　interest；　and　replied；　but　in　a　voice　rather　softer　than　before；　'Aye；　but　men　do　not　catch　old　birds　with　chaff；　my　master。　　Where　have　you　got　the　rhino　you　are　so　flush　of？'
  'I　will　give　you　earnest　directly；　and　that　in　banknotes；'　said　I；　but　thrusting　my　hand　into　my　side…pocket；　I　found　my　pocket…　book　was　gone。　　I　would　have　persuaded　myself　that　it　was　only　the　numbness　of　my　hands　which　prevented　my　finding　it；　but　Cristal　Nixon；　who　bears　in　his　countenance　that　cynicism　which　is　especially　entertained　with　human　misery；　no　longer　suppressed　his　laughter。
  'Oh；　ho！　　my　young　master；'　he　said；　'we　have　taken　good　enough　care　you　have　not　kept　the　means　of　bribing　poor　folk's　fidelity。　What；　man；　they　have　souls　as　well　as　other　people；　and　to　make　them　break　trust　is　a　deadly　sin。　　And　as　for　me；　young　gentleman；　if　you　would　fill　Saint　Mary's　Kirk　with　gold；　Cristal　Nixon　would　mind　it　no　more　than　so　many　chucky…stones。'
  I　would　have　persisted；　were　it　but　in　hopes　of　his　letting　drop　that　which　it　concerned　me　to　know；　but　he　cut　off　further　communication；　by　desiring　me　to　lean　back　in　the　corner　and　go　to　sleep。
  'Thou　art　cock…brained　enough　already；'　he　added；　'and　we　shall　have　thy　young　pate　addled　entirely；　if　you　do　not　take　some　natural　rest。'
  I　did　indeed　require　repose；　if　not　slumber；　the　draught　which　I　had　taken　continued　to　operate；　and；　satisfied　in　my　own　mind　that　no　attempt　on　my　life　was　designed；　the　fear　of　instant　death　no　longer　combated　the　torpor　which　crept　over　meI　slept；　and　slept　soundly；　but　still　without　refreshment。
  When　I　awoke；　I　found　myself　extremely　indisposed；　images　of　the　past；　and　anticipations　of　the　future；　floated　confusedly　through　my　brain。　　I　perceived；　however；　that　my　situation　was　changed；　greatly　for　the　better。　　I　was　in　a　good　bed；　with　the　curtains　drawn　round　it；　I　heard　the　lowered　voice　and　cautious　step　of　attendants；　who　seemed　to　respect　my　repose；　it　appeared　as　if　I　was　in　the　hands　either　of　friends；　or　of　such　as　meant　me　no　personal　harm。
  I　can　give　but　an　indistinct　account　of　two　or　three　broken　and　feverish　days　which　succeeded；　but　if　they　were　chequered　with　dreams　and　visions　of　terror；　other　and　more　agreeable　objects　were　also　sometimes　presented。　　Alan　Fairford　will　understand　me　when　I　say；　I　am　convinced　I　saw　G。M。　during　this　interval　of　oblivion。　　I　had　medical　attendance；　and　was　bled　more　than　once。　I　also　remember　a　painful　operation　performed　on　my　head；　where　I　had　received　a　severe　blow　on　the　night　of　the　riot。　　My　hair　was　cut　short；　and　the　bone　of　the　skull　examined；　to　discover　if　the　cranium　had　received　any　injury。
  On　seeing　the　physician；　it　would　have　been　natural　to　have　appealed　to　him　on　the　subject　of　my　confinement；　and　I　remember　more　than　once　attempting　to　do　so。　　But　the　fever　lay　like　a　spell　upon　my　tongue；　and　when　I　would　have　implored　the　doctor's　assistance；　I　rambled　from　the　subject；　and　spoke　I　know　not　what　nonsense。　　Some　power；　which　I　was　unable　to　resist；　seemed　to　impel　me　into　a　different　course　of　conversation　from　what　I　intended；　and　though　conscious；　in　some　degree；　of　the　failure；　I　could　not　mend　it；　and　resolved；　therefore；　to　be　patient；　until　my　capacity　of　steady　thought　and　expression　was　restored　to　me　with　my　ordinary　health；　which　had　sustained　a　severe　shock　from　the　vicissitudes　to　which　I　had　been　exposed。　　＇See　Note　6。＇
  CHAPTER　V
  DARSIE　LATIMER'S　JOURNAL；　IN　CONTINUATION
  Two　or　three　days；　perhaps　more；　perhaps　less；　had　been　spent　in　bed；　where　I　was　carefully　attended；　and　treated；　I　believe；　with　as　much　judgement　as　the　case　required；　and　I　was　at　length　allowed　to　quit　my　bed；　though　not　the　chamber。　　I　was　now　more　able　to　make　some　observation　on　the　place　of　my　confinement。
  The　room；　in　appearance　and　furniture；　resembled　the　best　apartment　in　a　farmer's　house；　and　the　window；　two　stories　high；　looked　into　a　backyard；　or　court；　filled　with　domestic　poultry。　There　were　the　usual　domestic　offices　about　this　yard。　　I　could　distinguish　the　brewhouse　and　the　barn；　and　I　heard；　from　a　more　remote　building；　the　lowing　of　the　cattle；　and　other　rural　sounds；　announcing　a　large　and　well…stocked　farm。　　These　were　sights　and　sounds　qualified　to　dispel　any　apprehension　of　immediate　violence。　　Yet　the　building　seemed　ancient　and　strong；　a　part　of　the　roof　was　battlemented；and　the　walls　were　of　great　thickness；　lastly；　I　observed；　with　some　unpleasant　sensations；　that　the　windows　of　my　chamber　had　been　lately　secured　with　iron　stanchions；　and　that　the　servants　who　brought　me　victuals；　or　visited　my　apartment　to　render　other　menial　offices；　always　locked　the　door　when　they　retired。
  The　comfort　and　cleanliness　of　my　chamber　were　of　true　English　growth；　and　such　as　I　had　rarely　seen　on　the　other　side　of　the　Tweed；　the　very　old　wainscot；　which　composed　the　floor　and　the　panelling　of　the　room；　was　scrubbed　with　a　degree　of　labour　which　the　Scottish　housewife　rarely　bestows　on　her　most　costly　furniture。
  The　whole　apartments　appropriated　to　my　use　consisted　of　the　bedroom；　a　small　parlour　adjacent；　within　which　was　a　still　smaller　closet　having　a　narrow　window　which　seemed　anciently　to　have　been　used　as　a　shot…hole；　admitting；　indeed；　a　very　moderate　portion　of　light　and　air；　but　without　its　being　possible　to　see　anything　from　it　except　the　blue　sky；　and　that　only　by　mounting　on　a　chair。　　There　were　appearances　of　a　separate　entrance　into　this　cabinet；　besides　that　which　communicated　with　the　parlour；　but　it　had　been　recently　built　up；　as　I　discovered　by　removing　a　piece　of　tapestry　which　covered　the　fresh　mason…work。　　I　found　some　of　my　clothes　here；　with　linen　and　other　articles；　as　well　as　my　writing…case；　containing　pen；　ink；　and　paper；　which　enables　me；　at　my　leisure　（which；　God　knows；　is　undisturbed　enough）　to　make　this　record　of　my　confinement。　　It　may　be　well　believed；　however；　that　I　do　not　trust　to　the　security　of　the　bureau；　but　carry　the　written　sheets　about　my　person；　so　that　I　can　only　be　deprived　of　them　by　actual　violence。　　I　also　am　cautious　to　write　in　the　little　cabinet　only；　so　that　I　can　hear　any　person　approach　me　through　the　other　apartments；　and　have　time　enough　to　put　aside　my　journal　before　they　come　upon　me。
  The　servants；　a　stout　country　fellow　and　a　very　pretty　milkmaid…　looking　lass；　by　whom　I　am　attended；　seem　of　the　true　Joan　and　Hedge　school；　thinking　of　little　and　desiring　nothing　beyond　the　very　limited　sphere　of　their　own　duties　or　enjoyments；　and　having　no　curiosity　whatever　about　the　affairs　of　others。　　Their　behaviour　to　me　in　particular；　is；　at　the　same　time；　very　kind　and　very　provoking。　　My　table　is　abundantly　supplied；　and　they　seem　anxious　to　comply　with　my　taste　in　that　department。　　But　whenever　I　make　inquiries　beyond　'what's　for　dinner'；　the　brute　of　a　lad　baffles　me　by　his　ANAN；　and　his　DUNNA　KNAW；　and　if　hard　pressed；　turns　his　back　on　me　composedly；　and　leaves　the　room。　The　girl；　too；　pretends　to　be　as　simple　as　he；　but　an　arch　grin；　which　she　cannot　always　suppress；　seems　to　acknowledge　that　she　understands　perfectly　well　the　game　which　she　is　playing；　and　is　determined　to　keep　me　in　ignorance。　　Both　of　them；　and　the　wench　in　particular；　treat　me　as　they　would　do　a　spoiled　child；　and　never　directly　refuse　me　anything　which　I　ask；　taking　care；　at　the　same　time；　not　to　make　their　words　good　by　effectually　granting　my　request。　　Thus；　if　I　desire　to　go　out；　I　am　promised　by　Dorcas　that　I　shall　walk　in　the　park　at　night；　and　see　the　cows　milked；　just　as　she　would　propose　such　an　amusement　to　a　child。　　But　she　takes　care　never　to　keep　her　word；　if　it　is　in　her　power