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.

THE FORTUNES OF NIGEL. 149
This homily being performed, a dispute arose concerning the special residence to be assigned the new brother of the Sanctuary; for, as the Alsatians
held it ra maxim in their commonwealth, that ass's milk fattens, there was
usually a competition among the inhabitants which should have the managing, as it was termed, of a new member of the society.
The Hector who had spoken so warmly and critically in Nigel's behalf,
stood out now chivalrously in behalf of a certain Blowselinda, or Bonstrops,
who had, it seems, a room to hire, once the occasional residence of Slicing
Dick of Paddington, who lately suffered at Tyburn, and whose untimely
exit had been hitherto mourned by the damsel in solitary widowhood, after
the fashion of'the turtle-dove.
The captain's interest was, however, overruled, in behalf of the old gentleman in the kersey hood, who was believed, even at his extreme age, to
understand the plucking of a pigeon, as well, or better, than any man of
Alsatia.
This venerable personage was a usurer of some notoriety, called Trapbois,
and had very lately done the state considerable service in advancing a subsidy necessary to secure a fresh importation of liquors to the Duke's cellars,
the wine-merchant at the Vintry being scrupulous to deal with so great a
man for any thing but ready money.
When, therefore, the old gentleman arose, and, with much coughing,
reminded the Duke that he had a poor apartment to let, the claims of all
others were set aside, and Nigel was assigned to Trapbois as his guest.
No sooner was this arrangement made, than Lord Glenvarloch expressed
to Lowestoffe his impatience to leave this discreditable assembly, and took
his leave with a careless haste, which, but for the rundlet of Rhenish wine
that entered just as he left the apartment, might have been taken in bad
part. The young Templar accompanied his friend to the house of the old
usurer, with the road to which he and some other youngsters about the
Temple were even but too well acquainted. On the way, he assured Lord
Glenvarloch that he was going to the only clean house in Whitefriars; a
property which it owed solely to the exertions of the old man's only daughter,
an elderly damsel, ugly enough to frighten sin, yet likely to be wealthy
enough to tempt a puritan, so soon as the devil had got her old dad for his
due. As Lowestoffe spoke thus, they knocked at the door of the house, and
the sour stern countenance of the female by whom it was opened, fully confirmed all that the Temnplar had said of the hostess. She heard, with an
ungracious and discontented air, the young Templar's information, that the
gentleman, his companion, was to be her father's lodger, muttered something about the trouble it was likely to occasion, but ended by showing the
stranger's apartment, which was better than could have been augured from
the general appearance of the place, and much larger in extent than that
which he had occupied at Paul's Wharf, though inferior to it in neatness.
Lowestoffe, having thus seen his friend fairly installed in his new apartment, and having obtained for him a note of the rate at which he could be
accommodated with victuals from a neighbouring cook's shop, now took his
leave, offering, at the same time, to send the whole, or any part of Lord
Glenvarloch's baggage, from his former place of residence to his new lodging. Nigel mentioned so few articles, that the Templar could not help observing, that his lordship, it would seem, did not intend to enjoy his new
privileges long.
"They are too little suited to my habits and taste, that I should do so,"
replied Lord Glenvarloch.
"You may change your opinion to-morrow," said Lowestoffe; "and so I
wish you good even. To-morrow I will visit you betimes."
The morning came, but, instead of the Templar, it brought only a letter
from him. The epistle stated that Lowestoffe's visits to Alsatia had drawn
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