He heard, however, a stir and tumult in the house, which did not seem to accord with the stern seclusion of a prison at the hour of midnight, and, connecting them with the arrival of an armed boat at that dead hour, could not but suppose that something extraordinary was about to take place.

In this belief he shook Dinmont by the shoulder.

'Eh! Ay! Oh! Ailie, woman, it's no time to get up yet,' groaned the sleeping man of the mountains.

More roughly shaken, however, he gathered himself up, shook his ears, and asked, 'In the name of Providence what's the matter ?' 'That I can't tell you,' replied Bertram; 'but either the place is on fire or some extraordinary thing is about to happen.

Are you not sensible of a smell of fire?
Do you not hear what a noise there is of clashing doors within the house and of hoarse voices, murmurs, and distant shouts on the outside?
Upon my word, I believe something very extraordinary has taken place.