“Rob Roy” Scott in summary
The novel “Rob Roy” gives a broad and complex picture of Scottish and English public relations of the early XVIII century. Action develops quickly, more lively than in other novels of Walter Scott. The protagonist, Francis Osbaldiston, was suddenly recalled from Bordeaux to his father on an important matter. Arriving in London, a twenty-year-old young man learns that his father wants to instruct him to lead the affairs of the trading house “Osbaldiston and Tresham,” whose director he is. Osbaldiston Sr. understands that years or a sudden illness will someday overwhelm his stout body, and seeks to prepare in advance an assistant in the person of a son who will take his wheel from him when his arm weakens and lead the ship according to the advice and instructions of the old captain. But Frank has no desire to comprehend the secrets of commerce, this is an artistic nature, he writes poetry, loves literature. His refusal leads his father into indignation, our hero
Francis sets out on his way and in one of the hotels at dinner he meets Mr. Campbell, a Scotch by birth, who becomes the soul of the company and causes everyone’s interest. But the ways-the roads of Campbell and Frank diverge.
So, the young man arrives at the castle of his uncle, Osbaldiston Hall, a stronghold hanging over the woods and rocks of Northumberland – the border region, beyond which begins the romantic Romantic Scotland, unknown to Frank. The family portrait of the inhabitants of the castle is devoid of romance. “A good collection,” says Frank after meeting his six cousins - drunkards, gluttons
A measured, boring life in the castle suddenly breaks off. Frank is accused of high treason – this news tells Diana. Morris, one of Frank’s companions on the road, was robbed and suspects him of what he did; due to the fact that Morris drove money from the treasury to pay troops in Scotland and he was abducted at the same time by very important documents, it is no longer a matter of simple robbery, but of treason. Diana offers Frank his help and wants to send him to Scotland. But Frank objects: he is not guilty, therefore it is necessary to go to court and restore justice. In the judge’s house, Mr. Campbell suddenly appears, who expose Morris, incriminating him in lies. It turns out that Campbell accompanied Morris on his way and witnessed the incident; he outlined the picture of the events, and the listeners learned, that Morris was terribly scared and did not even try to resist the robbers, although he was in his Majesty’s army, and there were only two robbers. About himself, Campbell noticed that he is of a peace-loving disposition and never interferes in quarrels and fights. Frank, who listened attentively to Campbell’s story, caught the discrepancy between the words and the expression on his face when he spoke of his peacefulness, and suspected that Campbell was not part of the incident as Morris’s companion, injured with him, and not even as a spectator. But it is thanks to Campbell that the slanderer and coward Mor-rice is ready to give up his testimony against Mr. Osbaldiston. The court case is closed, Frank is beyond suspicion. that differs peace-loving disposition and never interferes in quarrels and fights. Frank, who listened attentively to Campbell’s story, caught the discrepancy between the words and the expression on his face when he spoke of his peacefulness, and suspected that Campbell was not part of the incident as Morris’s companion, injured with him, and not even as a spectator. But it is thanks to Campbell that the slanderer and coward Mor-rice is ready to give up his testimony against Mr. Osbaldiston. The court case is closed, Frank is beyond suspicion. that differs peace-loving disposition and never interferes in quarrels and fights. Frank, who listened attentively to Campbell’s story, caught the discrepancy between the words and the expression on his face when he spoke of his peacefulness, and suspected that Campbell was not part of the incident as Morris’s companion, injured with him, and not even as a spectator. But it is thanks to Campbell that the slanderer and coward Mor-rice is ready to give up his testimony against Mr. Osbaldiston. The court case is closed, Frank is beyond suspicion. But it is thanks to Campbell that the slanderer and coward Mor-rice is ready to give up his testimony against Mr. Osbaldiston. The court case is closed, Frank is beyond suspicion. But it is thanks to Campbell that the slanderer and coward Mor-rice is ready to give up his testimony against Mr. Osbaldiston. The court case is closed, Frank is beyond suspicion.
However, this story is only the beginning of the trials that fell to the lot of our hero. From Rushley Frank learns the secret of Diana: according to the contract concluded between the families, she must either marry one of Frank’s cousins, or go to the monastery. The enamored Frank falls into despair. Diane warns him of a new danger: Frank’s father left for Holland for urgent matters, and Rashley was entrusted with leading the firm in his absence; which, in her opinion, will lead to the ruin of the father, since he wants to use the income and property of Osbaldiston the elder as a means to realize his ambitious and treacherous designs. Miss Vernon, alas, is right: Frank soon receives a letter from his father’s companion who asks him to immediately go to the Scottish city of Glasgow, where Rushley is likely to be hiding with a large amount of stolen money and bills, Frank on arrival, you need to meet with Owen, who has already left for Glasgow. The young man is sad about parting with Diana, but he understands that for his father “bankruptcy will be the greatest, indelible disgrace, a grief to which the only cure is death”; therefore, taking in the conductors of a Scotch gardener, he makes the shortest route to the city.
In the church during the service some stranger appoints Frank a meeting, adding at the same time: “In this city you are in danger.” He leads Osbaldiston to prison, to Owen’s cell, where this hard-working and faithful father tells the following. In Glasgow, the trading house had two main companions: the compulsory and compliant McWitti and the obstinate, intractable Jarvi. Therefore, when at a difficult moment for the firm, Owen, arriving in Scotland, turned for help to McWitti, he hoped for support, but his request was rejected; Moreover, the “reliable” companion demanded that all the available assets of the firm be handed over to him as a guarantee in the event of a collapse. Owen indignantly rejected this demand and was in prison as a debtor, Frank realized: the warning he received means that he himself can lose his freedom, if openly defends Owen, as the Scottish laws on debts are ruthlessly harsh. Suddenly, Mr. Jarvey, the Alderman, appears in prison, having come to the rescue after learning about the troubles of “Osbaldiston and Tresham”. He gives a guarantee, and Owen is at large. During this meeting we learn that the Alderman and the mysterious stranger who led Frank to see Owen – relatives, Amazed Jarvi exclaims: “Have you dared the wicked man to dodge here in the eye of the prison?” The robber, the robber, do you think, how much is your head? ” But the conductor Frank, who is called Robin, is unperturbed, he answers the cousin: “We, the mountaineers, the stubborn people.” What was Frank’s amazement when he suddenly realized: the stranger Robin and Mr. Campbell are one person! Again, this extraordinary man offers his help. Robin advises: let Owen stay in Glasgow and do everything he can, and Frank, meanwhile, will leave the next morning, accompanied by Jarvi, who knows the way, to him in the mountains.
In the evening, walking in the city park, our hero meets a strange trinity: Rashley, McWitti and Morris. They do not notice Frank, they talk, and he waits until Rushley is left alone. A duel on the swords of two enemies could lead to a tragic outcome, but the timely appearance of Robin stops the bloodshed.
Frank on the eve of departure to the Mountain Country asks Jarvi to tell about her customs, and the alderman willingly describes this corner of Scotland. This is a very special, wild world with its own laws. Half of the adult population is unemployed, and they live by theft, robbery, cattle rustling, and, worst of all, they are proud of it. Each laird carries with him a small army of such robbers, called the clan, and since 1689 the calm in the mountains has been supported by money, which the laird’s lord handed to his deans by the order of the laird. But now, since the accession to the throne of King George, the order is different: they no longer give out money, the leaders do not have the means to keep the clans that eat them, and, most likely, an uprising will soon occur. This event can speed up Rushley. Osbaldiston Sr. bought up forests in Scotland, and the trading house paid off bills of exchange for large sums; and since the firm’s credit was high, the gentlemen of the Mountain Country, holders of bills, always received loans to Glasgow for all the amount indicated in the bills. Now, if the bills are not paid, the merchant’s eyes will be raining down the mountains to the lairds, who have almost no money, and will pull the veins out of them, bringing them to despair, so that the termination of payments by Frank’s trading house will speed up the explosion long overdue. “How strange,” remarked Frank, “that the commercial affairs of London merchants influence the course of the revolution and uprisings.” What can Robin do in this situation, and why did he call Frank in the Mountain Country? Alderman advises Frank to rely on Robin. always received loans in Glasgow for all the amount indicated in the bills. Now, if the bills are not paid, the merchant’s eyes will be raining down the mountains to the lairds, who have almost no money, and will pull the veins out of them, bringing them to despair, so that the termination of payments by Frank’s trading house will speed up the explosion long overdue. “How strange,” remarked Frank, “that the commercial affairs of London merchants influence the course of the revolution and uprisings.” What can Robin do in this situation, and why did he call Frank in the Mountain Country? Alderman advises Frank to rely on Robin. always received loans in Glasgow for all the amount indicated in the bills. Now, if the bills are not paid, the merchant’s eyes will be raining down the mountains to the lairds, who have almost no money, and will pull the veins out of them, bringing them to despair, so that the termination of payments by Frank’s trading house will speed up the explosion long overdue. “How strange,” remarked Frank, “that the commercial affairs of London merchants influence the course of the revolution and uprisings.” What can Robin do in this situation, and why did he call Frank in the Mountain Country? Alderman advises Frank to rely on Robin.
Finding Rob Roy in the mountains is not easy at all, Captain of the Royal Army Thornton was ordered to catch robber Rob Roy as soon as possible, and despite the fact that the mountaineers disarmed the military detachment, which was three times their number, Rob Roy is still captured. When crossing the river, he manages to escape thanks to the help of friends. At night in the mountains of the road-ways, Frank and Rob Roy converge. Rob Roy leads Frank and Jarvey to his home, and Frank listens with interest to the story of this amazing man. Once Robin was prosperous and hardworking, but it was hard times, and Rob loved to take risks and as a result was bankrupt, barefooted vagabond, deprived of all his fortune. Help was not out of nowhere – “there is nowhere a shelter or protection” – then Rob Roy went to the mountains, began to live “his own law.” Farmers paid him ” black money “, this money served as a guarantee that their property is inviolable: if, for example, thieves are taken away at least one sheep, Rob must return it or pay its cost.” Soon, Rob Roy rallied around him a whole team of daredevils and became their favorite leader, a man whose name brought fear to him, Robin had long guessed about Rashley’s despicable intentions and now makes him threaten to return all bills and securities in order to immediately transfer them to Frank. , that this “robbery nickname “- a magnanimous, honest man with whom you do not want to leave. Soon, Rob Roy rallied around him a whole team of Udalts and became their favorite leader, a man whose name was catching up with fear. Robin has long guessed about Rachel’s mean designs and now forces him to return all bills and securities by threats, in order to immediately transfer them to Frank. Our hero is once again convinced that this “robber” is a magnanimous, honest man, whom he does not want to part with. Soon, Rob Roy rallied around him a whole team of Udalts and became their favorite leader, a man whose name was catching up with fear. Robin has long guessed about Rachel’s mean designs and now forces him to return all bills and securities by threats, in order to immediately transfer them to Frank. Our hero is once again convinced that this “robber” is a magnanimous, honest man, whom he does not want to part with.
In Glasgow, Frank meets with his father, who managed to settle all the cases and file for Rashley in court. But the court will not take place, because before Osbaldiston’s departure to England in the mountains a mutiny breaks out. Frank in the ranks of the royal troops participates in his suppression. During the fighting, all Frank’s cousins who lived in Osbaldiston Hall die, and Frank remains the only heir to the castle. But he does not want to live alone and goes in search of Diana Verna. Meanwhile, the girl, fulfilling the will of her father, is in a monastery. There, and finds her Frank before she manages to get a haircut in a nun. They marry and live in the castle for a long time and happily.
And in his native country still lives the memory of Rob Roy as the Scottish Robin Hood.
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