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.

178 WAVERLEY NOVELS.
C4aphtr tte ( it6i(-lirst.
Groom. Hail, noble prince!
King Richard. Thanks, noble peer;
The cheapest of us is a groat too dear.
RICHARD II.
ALBERT and his page were ushered by Joceline to what was called the
Spanish Chamber, a huge old scrambling bedroom, rather in a dilapidated
condition, but furnished with a large standing-bed for the master, and a
truckle-bed for the domestic, as was common at a much later period in old
English houses, where the gentleman often required the assistance of a
groom of the chambers to help him to bed, if the hospitality had been
exuberant. The walls were covered with hangings of cordovan leather,
stamped with gold, and representing fights between the Spaniards and
Moriscoes, bull-feasts, and other sports peculiar to the Peninsula, from
which it took its name of the Spanish Chamber. These hangings were in
some places entirely torn down, in others defaced and hanging in tatters.
But Albert stopped not to make observations, anxious, it seemed, to get
Joceline out of the room; which he achieved by hastily answering his
offers of fresh fuel, and more liquor, in the negative, and returning, with
equal conciseness, the under-keeper's good wishes for the evening. He at
length retired, somewhat unwillingly, and as if he thought that his young
master might have bestowed a few more words upon a faithful old retainer
after so long absence.
Joliffe was no sooner gone, than, before a single word was spoken between
Albert Lee and his page, the former hastened to the door, examined lock,
latch, and bolt, and made them fast, with the most scrupulous attention.
He superadded to these precautions that of a.long screw-bolt, which he
brought out of his pocket, and which he screwed on to the staple in such a
manner as to render it impossible to withdraw it, or open the door, unless
by breaking it down. The page held a light to him during the operation,
which his master went through with much exactness and dexterity. But
when Albert arose from his knee, on which he had rested during the accomplishment of this task, the manner of the companions was on the sudden
entirely changed towards each other. The honourable Master Kerneguy,
from a cubbish lout of a raw Scotsman, seemed to have acquired at once
all the grace and ease of motion and manner, which could be given by an
acquaintance of the earliest and most familiar kind with the best company
of the time.
He gave the light he held to Albert, with the easy indifference of a superior,
who rather graces than troubles his dependent by giving him some slight
service to perform. Albert, with the greatest appearance of deference,
assumed in his turn the character of torch-bearer,' and lighted his page
across the chamber, without turning his back upon him as he did so. He
then set the light on the table by the bedside, and approaching the young
man with deep reverence, received from him the soiled green jacket, with
the same profound respect as if he had been a first lord of the bedchamber,
or other officer of the household of the highest distinction, disrobing his
Sovereign of the Mantle of the Garter. The person to whom this ceremony
was addressed endured it for a minute or two with profound gravity, and
then bursting out a-laughing, exclaimed to Albert, "What a devil means all
this formality?-thou complimentest with these miserable rags as if they
were silks and sables, and with poor Louis Kerneguy as if he were the King
of Great Britain!"
"And if your Majesty's commands, and the circumstances of the time, have