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.

70 WAVERLEY NOVELS.
The domestics then rose and dispersed themselves-wine, and fruit, anlt
spices, were offered to Lord Nigel and to the clergyman, and the latter took
his leave. The young lord would fain have accompanied him, in hope to
get some explanation of the apparition which he had beheld, but he was
stopped by his host, who requested to speak with him in his compting-room.
" I hope, my lord," said the citizen, "that your preparations for attending Court are in such forwardness that you can go thither the day after tomorrow. It is, perhaps, the last day, foir some time, that his Majesty will
hold open court for all who have pretensions by birth, rank, or office, to
attend upon him. On the subsequent day he goes to Theobaldc's, where he
is so much occupied with hunting and other pleasures, that he cares not to
be intruded on."
"I shall be in all outward readiness to pay my duty," said the young
nobleman, " yet I have little heart to do it. The friends from whom I ought
to have found encouragement and protection, have proved cold and false —I
certainly will not trouble themz for their countenance on this occasion-and
yet I must confess my childish unwillingness to enter quite alone upon so
new a scene."' It is bold of a mechanic like metto make such'an offer to a nobleman,'
said HIeriot; "but I must attend at Court to-morrow. I can accompany
you as far as the presence-chamber, from my privilege as being of the household. I can facilitate your entrance, should you find difficulty, and I can
point out the proper manner and time of approaching the King. But I do
not know," he added, smiling, " whether these little advantages will not be
overbalanced by the incongruity of a nobleman receiving them folom the
hands of an old smith."
" From the hands rather of the only friend I have found in London," said
Nigel, offering his hand.
"Nay, if you think of the matter in that way," replied the honest citizen,
"there is no more to be said-I will come for you to-morrow, with a barge
proper to the occasion. —But remember, my good young lord, that I do not,
like some men of my degree, wish to take opportunity to step beyond it,
and associate with my superiors in rank; and therefore do not fear to mortify my presumption by suffering me to keep my distance in the presence,
and where it is fitting for both of us to separate; and for what remains,
most truly happy shall I be in proving of service to the son of my ancient
patron."
The style of conversation led so far fromn the point which -had interested
the young nobleman's curiosity, that there was no returning to it that night.
I-e therefore exchanged thanks and greeting with George HIeriot, and took
his leave, promising to be equipped and in readiness to embark with him on
the second successive morning at ten o'clock.
The generation of linkboys, celebrated by Count Anthony Iamrilton as
peculiar to London, had already, in the reign of James I., begun their functions; and the service of one of them with his smoky torch had been secured
to light the young Scottish lord and his follower to their own lcdgings,
which, though better acquainted than formerly with the city, they might in
the dark have run some danger of missing. This gave the ingenious Mr.
3Moniplies an opportunity of gathering close up to his master, after he had
gone through the form of slipping his left arm into the handle of his buckler, and loosening his broad-sword in the sheath, that he might be ready for
whatever should befall.
" If it were not for the wine and the good cheer which we have had in
yonder old man's house, my lord," said the sapient follower, " and that I
ken him by report to be a just living man in many respects, and a real
Edinburgh gutterblood, I should have been well pleased to have seen how
his feet Were shaped, and whether he had not a cloven lcoot under the braw
roses and cordovan shoon of his."