The walls of the inner
courts were also to be put to rights, and new gates added. There was a
great laugh in the country respecting this unknown humourist; and some
said he was preparing for a siege, and others going to set up for a
modern Rob Roy, and Castle-Dymock was to be his head-quarters.
The greater part of the furniture, and all the fixtures, were to be paid
for by the money for which the Laird had Mr. Salmon's memorandum; and
they who knew their condition, said that the things had been brought to
a good market, as little of the furniture would have been worth the
carriage across the moor. Nothing at present, therefore, remained for
the aunt and the nephew to do, but to remove to the cottage as soon as
it should be ready to receive them.
This humble habitation was situated in a small nook or vale of the moor
called Heatherdale. A little fresh-water spring ran through it, coming
in at the higher end of the valley, and going out through a natural
cleft in a block of granite at the other end. There were many tall trees
scattered on the banks within the dell; and the place was so sheltered,
that many a plant would flourish in the garden on the south side of the
house, which could hardly be kept alive in any other situation in
the country.
Pages:
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64