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.

TIE FORTUNES OF NIGEL. 279
"That is a black gate, if you speak according to the letter," answtered
Richie; "but if metaphorically, there are worse places in this great city
than the Devil Tavern; and I care not if I go thither with you, and bestow
a pottle of burnt sack on you -it will correct the crudities of mny stomach,
and form a gentle preparative for the leg of a cold pullet."
"'I pray you, in good fashion, to let me go," said Jenkin. "You may
mean me kindly, and I wish you to have no wrong at my hand; but I ala
in the humour to be dangerous to myself, or any one."
"I will abide the risk," said the Scot, "if you will but come with me;
and here is a place convenient, a howff nearer than the Devil, whilk is but
an ill-dmened drouthy name for a tavern. This other of the Saint Andrew
is a quiet place, where I have ta'en my whetter now and then when I lodged
in the neighbourhood of the Temple with Lord Glenvarloch. - -What the
deil's the matter wi' the man, garr'd him gie sic a spang as that, and almaist
brought himself and me on the causeway?"
" Do not name that false Scot's name to me," said Jin Yin, "if you would
not have me go mad! -I was happy before I saw him - he has been the
cause of all the ill that has befallen me - he has made a knave and a mladman of me 1"
" If you are a knave," said Richie, "you have met an officer-if you are
daft, you have met a keeper; but a gentle officer and a kind keeper. Look
you, my.; gude friend, there hLas been twenty things said about this same
lord, in which there is no more truth than in the leasings of Mahound.
The warst they can say of him is, that he is not always so amenable to
good advice as I would pray him, you, and every young man to be. Come
wi' me-just come ye wi' me: and, if a little spell of siller and a great deal
of excellent counsel can relieve your occasions, all I can say is, you have
had the luck to meet one capable of giving you both, and maist willing to
bestow them."
The pertinacity of the Scot prevailed over the sullenness of Vincent, who
was indeed in a state of agitation and incapacity to think for himself, which
led him to yield the more readily to the suggestions of another. le suffered himself to be dragged into the small tavern which Richie recommended, and where they soon found themselves seated in a snug niche, with
a reeking pottle of burnt sack, and a paper of sugar betwixt them. Pipes
and tobacco were also provided, but were only used by Richie, who had
adopted the custom of late, as adding considerably to the gravity and inlportance of his manner, and affording, as it were, a bland and pleasant
accompaniment to the words of wisdom which flowed from his tongue.
After they had filled their glasses and drunk them in silence, Richie repeated the question, whither his guest was going when they met so fortunately.
" I told you," said Jenkin, "I was going to destruction - I mean to the
gaming-house. I am resolved to hazard these two or three pieces, to get as
much as will pay for a passage with Captain Sharker, whose ship lies at
Gravesend, bound for America —and so Eastward, ho!-I met one devil in
the way already, who would have tempted me from aly purpose, but I
spurned him from me-you may be another for what I know. —What degree
of damnation do you propose for me," he added, wildly, "and what is the
price of it?"
" I would have you to know," answered Richie, "that I deal in no such
commodities, whdther as buyer or seller. But if you will tell me honestly
the cause of your distress, I will do what is in my power to help you out
of it, —not being, however, prodigal of promises, until I know the case; as
a learned physician only gives advice when he has observed the diagnostics."
"No one has any thing to do with my affairs," said the poor lad; and,
folding his arms on the table, he laid his head down on them, with the