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.

176 WAVERLEY NOVELS.
blemishing my honesty; and, after I had been rooked of all the rest
amongst them, I must needs risk the last five pieces with that shark among
the minnows!"
"Granted," said Dame Ursula. "All this I know; and I own, that as
Lord Glenvarloch was the last you played with, you have a right to charge
your ruin on his head. Moreover, I admit, as already said, that Margaret
has made him your rival. Yet surely, now he is in danger to lose his hand,
it is not a time to remember all this?"
"By my faith, but it is, though," said the young citizen. "Lose his
hand, indeed? They may take his head, for what I care. Head and hand
have made me a miserable wretch!"
"Now, were it not better, my prince of flat-caps," said Dame Ursula,
"that matters were squared between you; and that, through means of the
same Scottish lord, who has, as you say, deprived you of your money and
your mistress, you should in a short time recover both?"
"And how can your wisdom come to that conclusion, dame?" said the
apprentice. " My money, indeed, I can conceive-that is, if I comply with
your proposal; but —my pretty Margaret!- how serving this lord, whom
she has set her nonsensical head upon, can do me good with her, is far
beyond my conception."
" That is because, in simple phrase," said Dame Ursula, " thou knowest
no more of a woman's heart than doth a Norfolk gosling. Look you, man.
Weve I to report to Mistress Marget that the young lord has miscarried
through thy lack of courtesy in refusing to help him, why, then, thou wert
odious to her for ever. She will loathe thee as she will loathe the very cook
who is to strike off Glenvarloch's hand with his cleaver-and then she will
be yet more fixed in her affections towards this lord. London will hear of
nothing but him-speak of nothing but him-think of nothing but him, for
three weeks at least, and all that outcry will serve to keep him uppermost
in her mind; for nothing pleases a girl so much as to bear relation to any
one who is the talk of the whole world around her. Then, if he suffer the
sentence of the law, it is a chance if she ever forgets him. I saw that
handsome, proper young gentleman, Babington, suffer in the Queen's time
myself; and though I was then but a girl, he was in my head for a year
after he was hanged. But, above all, pardoned or punished, Glenvarloch
will probably remain in London, and his presence will keep up the silly
girl's nonsensical fancy about him. Whereas, if he escapes —'
" Ay, show me how that is to avail me," said Jenkin.
" If he escapes," said the dame, resuming her argument, " hoe'must resign
the court for years, if not for life; and you know the old saying,'out of
sight, and out of mind.'"'
"' True-most true," said Jenkin; "spoken like an oracle, most wise
Ursula."
"Ay, ay, I knew you would hear reason at last," said the wily dame;
"and then, when this said lord is off and away for once and for ever, who,
I pray you, is to be pretty pet's confidential person, and who is to fill up the
void-in her affections?-why, who but thou, thou pearl of'prentices? And
then you will have overcome your own inclinations to comply with hers,
and every woman is sensible of that-and you will have run some risk, too,
in carrying her desires into effect-and what is it that woman likes better
than bravery, and devotion to her will? Then you have her secret, and she
must treat you with favour and observance, and repose confidelce in you,
and hold private intercourse with you, till she weeps with one eye for the
absent lover whom she is never to see again, and blinks with, the other
blithely upon him who is in presence; and then if you know not how to
improve the relation in which you stand with her, you are no't the brisk
lively lad that all the world takes you for-Said I well?"