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Bha mi ag innse dhuibh mu thachartas ann an Taigh-seinnse Dhurais, taobh Loch Nis, goirid an dèidh Blàr Chùil Lodair. Chaidh màthair Sìne, Hannah, a mhurt le saighdear dearg a bh’ air an rathad a Chille Chuimein. Chaidh Sìne fhèin air muin eich a Chille Chuimein, còmhla ri Iain Bàn à Duras agus fear eile. Bha a h-uile duine aca sgeadaichte ann an aodach dubh. Air muin a’ cheathraimh eich, bha corp Hannah.

Chuir na freiceadain stad orra aig geatachan Gearasdan Cille Chuimein. ‘Is mise Alasdair Friseal à Druim Athaisidh,’ thuirt Iain Bàn riutha. Cha robh iad eòlach air Alasdair, a bha na cho-ogha do dh’Iain. Ach bhiodh fios aca, ’s dòcha, gur e uachdaran a bh’ ann a bha taiceil don riaghaltas. Bha fios aig Iain gun robh Diùc Chumberland anns a’ ghearasdan, agus thuirt e ris na freiceadain gun robh e ag iarraidh bruidhinn ris an Diùc. Bidh cuimhne agaibh gun robh Cumberland mar cheannard aig arm an riaghaltais aig Cùil Lodair.

Thàinig leifteanant a bhruidhinn ri Iain. A-rithist, thuirt Iain gum b’ esan Alasdair Friseil agus gun robh e ag iarraidh bruidhinn ris an Diùc. Dh’fhalbh an leifteanant agus thàinig màidsear na àite. Dh’inns Iain dha gun robh corp boireannaich aige, agus gun deach a murt na dachaigh fhèin le saighdear Breatannach. Cha ghabhadh esan – mar dhuin-uasal Gàidhealach a bha ‘dìleas’ don Chrùn – fois gus an robh e air bruidhinn ri Cumberland mu dheidhinn.

Dh’fhalbh am màidsear agus, mu dheireadh thall, chaidh Iain a thoirt gu ruige àite-còmhnaidh Chumberland fhèin. Thàinig Iain far eich. Thàinig an Diùc a-mach. Sheall Iain dha corp Hannah. Mhìnich e gun robh a nighean gun sgillinn ruadh is gun dlùth-charaid, agus gur iad saighdearan dearga a bu choireach. A bharrachd air a’ mhurt, bha na saighdearan air an taigh-seinnse a sgrios. Cha robh cothrom aig Sìne fhosgladh às ùr airson bith-beò a dhèanamh dhi fhèin.

Dh’èist an Diùc ris an tagradh aig Iain. Dh’iarr e air a dhol a thaigh-seinnse ann an Cille Chuimein agus feitheamh an sin gus an cluinneadh e tuilleadh. Beagan uairean a thìde an dèidh làimhe, thàinig còirneal a-steach don taigh-seinnse, le màileid leathair fo achlais. Bha na h-oifigearan a bha ciontach dhen eucoir air airgead a chur ri chèile. Bha gu leòr ann airson tiodhlacadh math a thoirt do Hannah, agus airson Taigh-seinnse Dhurais a chur air a chasan a-rithist.

Thill an còmhlan beag a Dhuras. Chaidh Hannah a thiodhlacadh anns a’ chladh an sin. Thòisich Sìne air an taigh-seinnse a chur air dòigh às ùr. Agus tha fios agaibh gu bheil e a’ dol fhathast. Bidh e loma-làn luchd-turais as t-samhradh.

Agus dè thachair do na saighdearan? Am b’ e sin e airson ceartas? Uill, cha b’ e. Bha Cumberland dhen bheachd gum biodh e na b’ fheàrr nam biodh iad air an cur a-null thairis ann an seirbheis a’ Chrùin. 

A rèir choltais, cha do thuig duine aca riamh gum b’ e an duine a fhuair an t-airgead bhuapa fear de na reubaltaich a bha iad a’ lorg ann am monadh Loch Nis. Seadh, ’s e sin a bh’ ann an Iain Bàn – reubaltach Seumasach! ’S e mo thuigse gun do thill e gu bheatha mar ruagalaiche, co-dhiù airson beagan bhliadhnaichean.

Faclan na Litreach: Taigh-seinnse Dhurais: Dores Inn; Alasdair Friseil à Druim Athaisidh: Alexander Fraser from Drumashie; leifteanant: lieutenant; àite-còmhnaidh: dwelling-place; tagradh: appeal; còirneal: colonel; reubaltach Seumasach: a Jacobite rebel; ruagalaiche: fugitive.

Abairtean na Litreach: Chaidh X air muin eich a Chille Chuimein: X went on horseback to Fort Augustus; air muin a’ cheathraimh eich, bha corp Hannah: on the back of the fourth horse was Hannah’s body; sgeadaichte ann an aodach dubh: wearing black clothes; a bha na cho-ogha do dh’Iain: who was a cousin of John’s; thuirt e ris na freiceadain gun robh e ag iarraidh bruidhinn ris an Diùc: he said to the sentries that he was wanting to speak to the Duke; gun robh corp boireannaich aige: that he had a woman’s corpse; gun deach a murt na dachaigh fhèin: who was murdered in her own home; cha ghabhadh esan – mar dhuin-uasal Gàidhealach a bha ‘dìleas’ don Chrùn – fois: he – as a Highland gentleman who was ‘loyal’ to the Crown – would not rest; gun sgillinn ruadh is gun dlùth-charaid: without a penny and without a close relative; gur iad saighdearan dearga a bu choireach: it is redcoat soldiers who were responsible; gus an cluinneadh e tuilleadh: until he heard [would hear] more; le màileid leathair fo achlais: with a leather satchel under his arm; a bha ciontach dhen eucoir: who were guilty of the crime; loma-làn luchd-turais as t-samhradh: heaving with tourists in summer; gum biodh e na b’ fheàrr nam biodh iad air an cur a-null thairis ann an seirbheis a’ Chrùin: that it would be better if they were sent overseas in the service of the Crown; fear de na reubaltaich a bha iad a’ lorg ann am monadh Loch Nis: one of the rebels that they were seeking in the hills of Loch Ness.

Puing-chànain na Litreach: Cha robh cothrom aig Sìne fhosgladh às ùr airson bith-beò a dhèanamh dhi fhèin: Jean had no opportunity to open it anew to make a living for herself. Can you explain why fosgladh is lenited here? It is because there is a hidden third person singular masculine possessive pronoun in front of it (hidden because it is a vowel – a – between two other vowel sounds – fh being silent). It is masculine because taigh-seinnse is masculine. If she had been opening, say, a palace [lùchairt – a feminine noun], I would have said Cha robh cothrom aice a fosgladh às ùr as the feminine possessive article does not incur lenition. A plural [of either gender] would be Cha robh cothrom aice am fosgladh às ùr.

Gnàthas-cainnt na Litreach: Thàinig Iain far eich: John came off his horse (dismounted).