Resumo de The Heart Of Midlothian

In eighteenth century Scotland, Jeanie Deans learns that her sister Effie had borne an illegitimate male child and had killed him or caused him to be killed. Effie refused to name her seducer and denied killing the child, saying that after the birth she had awoken to find the midwife and child gone. However, in the face of the testimony of the midwife?s daughter Meg Murdockson, who swore she had seen Effie returning from the river after drowning the baby, Effie was convicted and sentenced to be hanged. Jeanie might have saved her sister by lying, but she could not bring herself to do so. So Effie was sent to Tolbooth prison to await her execution.

Dressed as a woman, Geordie Robertson led a mob which broke into Tolbooth prison ostensibly to rescue his accomplice Captain John Porteous, who was awaiting execution for firing into a crowd without provocation, killing several people. Instead of being rescued, Captain Porteous is hanged by the mob and Robertson escaped and became a wanted man. Jeanie visited her sister in prison and learned that Robertson was the father of Effie?s baby. She also learned that Robertson had long ago also seduced Meg who had lost her mind for love of him, and that Meg had sworn revenge on any other woman Robertson might love. Many considered her mother, known as old Meg, to be a witch. Jeanie believed that the witch or her daughter must have either killed or sold her sister?s baby.

Determined to save her sister, Jeanie decided to walk to London to seek a pardon from the king and queen. She had long been betrothed to the minister Reuben Butler who had been unable to marry her because his school teacher?s salary was too small to support a family. Reuben was unable to talk Jeanie out of her plan to seek a pardon for Effie, so he provided her with a letter of introduction to the Duke of Argyle, a family friend, in the hope that the Duke could assist Jeanie in being presented to the king and queen.

On the long journey to London, Jeanie was captured by old Meg who tried to kill her; but, Jeanie escaped from the old woman and took refuge in the home of the Reverend Mr. Staunton. There she met his son George Staunton and learned from him that he was actually the wanted man Geordie Robertson. He told Jeanie that he had broken into Tolbooth prison to attempt Effie?s rescue, but that Effie had refused to leave with him. He also said that he had tried to force Meg to confess that she had taken the baby, but he had failed. He asked Jeanie to bargain with the Duke of Argyle and offer to lead the authorities to Robertson in exchange for Effie?s release.

Jeanie reached London and impressed the duke with her sincerity and so he arranged for an audience with the queen. The queen, too, believed Jeanie?s story of her sister?s misfortune and innocence, and through her efforts, the king pardoned Effie. Jeanie secured the pardon without having to turn in George Staunton as the outlaw Geordie Robertson. The duke hired Jeanie?s father to run one of his estates in Scotland and hired Reuben Butler to be the estate?s minister. Jeanie was overjoyed with how well everything had turned out until she learned that Effie and her lover had eloped immediately after her release. Because George was still a wanted outlaw, their lives would be in constant danger.

Reuben and Jeanie were married and had three children. They were happy and prosperous in their new life. However, Jeanie still had to keep the secret that Effie?s husband was actually a wanted fugitive. George and Effie lived among London?s high society as Lord and Lady Staunton, having inherited a title from George?s uncle. Effie wrote secretly to Jeannie and sent her large sums of money; but, Jeannie hid the money away without telling her husband.

Just before being hanged as a witch, Meg Murdockson finally confessed to stealing Effie?s baby and giving it away to an outlaw. Effie and her husband promptly set out separately for Scotland to try to find their son. Even though it was dangerous for George to be there because he might be recognized, he followed every lead and clue that Meg had left. In Edinburgh, by chance he met Reuben who was overjoyed to meet a friend of the Duke or Argyle. He invited George to visit his home; but, on the way there, they were waylaid by outlaws and one young fellow killed George with a sword thrust. It was then that Jeanie finally told Reuben the whole story. They searched George?s pockets and found proof that the young outlaw who had slain him had been his long lost son, stolen so many years before. They kept that bit of news from Effie, however, who many years later entered a convent where she grieved for her beloved husband and the son whom she had never known.

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