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.

408 WAVERLEY NOVELS.
food so luscious and surfeiting in its quality above five times a-week. The
large black jack, filled with very small beer of Milnwood's own brewing,
was allowed to the company at discretion, as were the bannocks, cakes, and
broth; but the mutton was reserved for the heads of the family, Mrs. Wilson
included: and a measure of ale, somewhat deserving the name, was set
apart in a silver tankard for their exclusive use. A huge kebbock (a cheese,
that is, made with ewe-milk mixed with cow's milk), and a jar of salt butter,
were in common to the company.
To enjoy this exquisite cheer, was placed, at the head of the table, the
old Laird himself, with his nephew on the one side, and the favourite housekeeper on the other. At a long interval, and beneath the salt of course, sate
old Robin, a meagre, half-starved serving-man, rendered cross and cripple
by rheumatism, and a dirty drab of a housemaid, whom use had rendered
callous to the daily exercitations which her temper underwent at the hands
of her master and Mrs. Wilson. A barn-man, a white-headed cow-herd
boy, with Cuddie the new ploughman and his mother, completed the party.
The other labourers belonging to the property resided in their own houses,
happy at least in this, that if their cheer was not more delicate than that
which we have described, they could eat their fill, unwatched by the sharp,
envious grey eyes of Milnwood, which seemed to measure the quantity that
each of his dependents swallowed, as closely as if their glances attended
each mouthful in its progress from the lips to the stomach. This close inspection was unfavourable to Cuddie, who sustained much prejudice in his
new master's opinion, by the silent celerity with which he caused the victuals
to disappear before him. And ever and anon Milnwood turned his eyes
from the huge feeder to cast indignant glances upon his nephew, whose
repugnance to rustic labour was the principal cause of his needing a
ploughman, and who had been the direct means of his hiring this very
cormorant.
"Pay thee wages, quotha?" said Milnwood to himself,-" Thou wilt eat
in a —week the value of mair than thou canst work for in a month."
These disagreeable ruminations were interrupted by a loud knocking at
the outer gate. It was a universal custom in Scotland, that, when the family
was at dinner, the outer gate of the court-yard, if there was one, and if not,
the door of the house itself, was always shut and locked, and only guests of
importance, or persons upon urgent business, sought or received admittance
at that time.* The family of Milnwood were therefore surprised, and, in
the unsettled state of the times, something alarmed, at the earnest and
repeated knocking with which the gate was now assailed. Mrs. Wilson
ran in person to the door, and, having, reconnoitred those who were so
clamorous for admittance, through some secret aperture with which most
Scottish door-ways were furnished for the express purpose, she returned
wringing her hands in great dismay, exclaiming, " The red-coats! the
red-coats!"
"Robin- Ploughman —what ca' they ye?-Barnsman- Nevoy Harryopen the door, open the door!" exclaimed old Milnwood, snatching up and
* This was a point of high etiquette -The custom of keeping the door of a house or chateau locked durin
the time of dinner, probably arose from the family being anciently assembled in the hall at that meal, and
liable to surprise. But it was in many instances continued as a point of high etiquette, of which the following
is an example:A considerable landed proprietor in Dumfries-shire, being a bachelor, without near relations, and determined to malie his will, resolved previously to visit his two nearest kinsmen, and decide which should be his
heir, according to the degree of kindness with which he should be received. Like a good clansman, he first
visited his own chief, a baronet in rank, descendant and representative of one of the oldest families in Scotland. Unhappily the dinner-bell had rung, and the door of the castle had been locked before his arrival.
The visitor in vain announced his name and requested admittance; but his chief adhered to the ancient etiquette, and would on no account suffer the doors to be unbarred. Irritated at this cold reception, the old
Laird rode on to Sanquhar Castle, then the residence of the Duke of Queensberry, who no sooner heard his
name, than, knowingwell he had a will to make, the drawbridge dropped, and the gates flew open-the table
was covered anew-his- grace's bachelor and intestate kinsman was received with the utmost attention and
respect; anid it is scarcely necessary to add, that upon his death some years after, the visitor's considerable
landed property went to augment the domains of the Ducal house of Queensberry. This happened about the
end of the seventeenth century.