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. 71
"W~hy, you rascal," answered Nigel, " you have been too kindly treated,
and now that you have filled your ravenous stomach, you are railing on the
good gentleman that relieved you."
" Under favour, no, my lord," said Moniplies,-" I would only like to see
something mair about him. I have eaten his meat, it is true-more shame
that the like of him should have meat to give, when your lordship and me
could scarce have gotten, on our own account, brose and a bear bannock -
I have drunk his wine, too."
"I see you have," replied his master, "a great deal more than you should
have done."
"Under your patience, my lord," said Moniplies, "you are pleased to say
that, because I crushed a quart with that jolly boy Jenkin, as they call the'prentice boy, and that was out of mere acknowledgment for his former
kindness-I own that I, moreover, sung the good old song of Elsie Marley,
so as they never heard it chanted in their lives 2'"
And withal (as John Bunyan says) as they went on their way, he sung"Oh, do ye ken Elsie Marley, honeyThe wife that sells the barley, honey!
For Elsie Mlarley's grown sae fine,
She winna get up to feed the swine.Oh, do ye ken —" —
Here in mid career was the songster interrupted by the stern gripe of his
master, who —threatened to baton him to death if he brought the city-watch
upon them by his ill-timed melody.
" I crave pardon, my lord - I humbly crave pardon - only when I think
of that Jen Win, as they call him, I can hardly help humming —' Oh, do ye
ken' - But I crave your honour's pardon, and will be totally dumb, if you
command me so."
"No, sirrah 1" said Nigel, " talk on, for I well know you would say and
suffer more under pretence of holding your peace, than when you get an
unbridled license. IIow is it, then? What have you to say against Master
Ileriot?"
It seems more than probable, that in permitting this license, the young
lord hoped his attendant would stumble upon the subject of the young lady
who had appeared at prayers in a manner so mysterious. But whether this
was the case, or whether he merely desired that Moniplies should utter in a
subdued and under tone of voice, those spirits which might otherwise have
vented themselves in obstreperous song, it is certain he permitted his attendant to proceed with his story in his own way.
" And therefore," said the orator, availing himself of his immunity, "I
would like to ken what sort of a carle this Maister Heriot is. He hath
supplied your lordship with walth of gold, as I can understand; and if he
has, I make it for certain he hath had his ain end in it, according to the
fashion of the world. Now, had your lordship your own good lands at your
guiding, doubtless this person, with most of his craft —goldsmiths they call
themselves- I say usurers - wad be glad to exchange so many pounds of
African dust, by whilk I understand gold, against so many fair acres, and
hundreds of acres, of broad Scottish land."
" But you know I have no land," said the young lord, "at least none that
can be affected by any debt which I can at present become obliged for - I
think you need not have reminded me of that."
"True, my lord, most true; and, as your lordship says, open to the
meanest capacity, without any unnecessary expositions. Now, therefore,
my lord, unless Maister George HIeriot has something mair to allege as a
motive for his liberality, vera different from the possession of your estate
and moreover, as he could gain little by the capture of your body, wherefore
should it not be your soul that he is in pursuit of?"
" My soul, you rascal I" said the young lord; " what good should my soul
do him?"