The Waverley novels, by Sir Walter Scott, complete in 12 vol., printed from the latest English ed., embracing the author's last corrections, prefaces & notes.

432 WAVERLEY NOVELS.
them so severe) may be a thousand times better intrusted with them than
with peddling lawyers and thick-skulled country gentlemen."
Such were the ruminations of Major Miles Bellenden, which were terminated by John Gudyill (not mor6 than half-drunk) taking hold of his
bridle, and assisting him to dismount in the rough-~aved court of Tillietudlem.
"Why, John," said the veteran, "what devil of a discipline is this you
have been keeping? You have been reading Geneva print this morning
already."
"I have been reading the Litany," said John, shaking his head with a
look of drunken gravity, and having only caught one word of the Major's
address to him; "life is short, sir; we are flowers of the field, sir" - hiccup-" and lilies of the valley."
"Flowers and lilies? Why, man, such carles as thou and I can hardly
be called better than old hemlocks, decayed nettles, or withered rag-weed;
but I suppose you think that we are still worth watering."
"I am an old soldier, sir, I thank Ileaven"-hiccup —
"An old shinker, you mean, John. But come, never mind, show me the
way to your mistress, old lad."
John Gudyill led the way to the stone hall, where Lady Margaret was
fidgeting about, superintending, arranging, and re-forming the preparations
made for the reception of the celebrated Claverhouse, whom one party
honoured and extolled as a hero, and another execrated as a blood-thirsty
oppressor.
"Did I not tell you," said Lady Margaret to her principal female attendant-" did I not tell you, Mysie, that it was my especial pleasure on this
occasion to have everything in the precise order wherein it was upon that
famous morning when his most sacred Majesty partook of his disjune at
Tillietudlem?"
" Doubtless, such were your ladyship's commands, and to the best of my
remembrance" was Mysie answering, when her ladyship broke in with,
" Then wherefore is the venison pasty placed on the left side of the throne,
and the stoup of claret upon the right, when ye may right weel remember,
Mysie, that his most sacred Majesty with his ain hand shifted the pasty to
the same side with the flagon, and said they were too good friends to be
parted?"
"I mind that weel, madam," said Mysie; " and if I had forgot, I have
heard your leddyship often speak about that grand morning sin' syne; but
I thought everything was to be placed jist as it was when his Majesty, God
bless him, came into this room, looking mair like an angel than a man, if
he hadna been sae. black-a-vised."
" Then ye thought nonsense, Mysie; for in whatever way his most sacred
Majesty ordered the position of the trenchers and flagons, that as weel as
his royal pleasure in greater matters, should be a law to his subjects, and
shall ever be to those of the house of Tillietudlem."
" Weel, madam," said Mysie, making the alterations required, "it's easy
mending the error; but if every thing is just to be as his Majesty left it,
there should be an unco hole in the venison pasty."
At this moment the door openedT-.
"Who is that, John Gudyill?" exclaimed the old lady. "I can speak to
no one just now. Is it you, my dear brother?" she continued, in some surprise, as the Major entered; " this is a right early visit."
"Not more early than welcome, I hope," replied Major Bellenden, as he
saluted the widow of his deceased brother; "but I heard by a note which
Edith sent to Charnwood about some of her equipage and books, that you
were to have Claver'se here this morning, so I thought, like an old firelock
as I am, that I should like to have a chat with this rising soldier. I caused
Pike saddle Kilsythe, and here we both are."