Lost in himself, he kept his eyes fixed on the ripening bottle, waiting with heroic self-denial, nor uttering a single audible oath, until the sound of its opening should herald the outbursting blossom of the nightly flower of existence.

The thing hard to bear was, that there were no fresh wine-glasses on the table--only the one he had taken care to bring with the old bottle.
Presently Grizzie came with the tea-things, and as she set them down, remarked, with cunningly devised look of unconsciousness: "It's a gurly nicht; no a pinch o' licht; an' the win' blawin' like deevils; the Pooer o' the air, he's oot wi' a rair, an' the snaw rins roon' upo' sweevils." "What do you mean, woman?
Would you drive me mad with your gibberish ?" cried his lordship, getting up, and going to the window.
"Ow, na, my lord!" returned Grizzie quietly; "mad's mad, but there's waur nor mad." "Grizzie!" said the laird, and she did not speak again.
Lurking in Grizzie was the suspicion, less than latent in the minds of the few who had any memory of the old captain, that he had been robbed as well as murdered--though nothing had ever been missed that was known to belong to him, except indeed an odd walking-stick he used to carry; and if so, then the property, whatever it was, had been taken to the loss of his rightful heir, Warlock o' Glenwarlock.

Hence mainly arose Grizzie's desire to play upon the fears of the English lord; for might he not be driven by terror to make restitution?
Therefore, although, obedient to the will of her master, she left the room in silence, she cast on the old man, as she turned away, a look, which, in spite of the wine he had drunk, and the wine he hoped to drink, he felt freeze his very vitals--a look it was of inexplicable triumph, and inarticulate doom.
The final effect of it on her victim, however, was different from what she intended.

For it roused suspicion.

What if, he thought with himself, he was the victim of a conspiracy?
What if the something frightful that befell him the night before, of which he had but a vague recollection, had been contrived and executed by the people of the house?
This horrible old hag might remember else-forgotten things?
What if they had drugged his wine?
the first half of the bottle he had yesterday was decanted!--But the one he had just drunk had not been touched! and this fresh one before the fire should not be carried from his sight! he would not take his eyes off it for a moment! he was safe so far as these were concerned! only if after all--if there should be no difference--if something were to happen again all the same--ah, then indeed!--then it would only be so much the worse!--Better let them decant the bottle, and then he would have the drug to fall back upon! Just as he heard the loud bang of Grizzie's closure of the great door, the wind rushed all at once against the house, with a tremendous bellow, that threatened to drive the windows into the room.