Well, sir,
but I hope I have not offended you for my little joke--and I hope the
ale is to your honour's liking,--and the beef--and the mustard?"
"All excellent--all too good," answered Olifaunt; "you have every
thing so clean and tidy, dame, that I shall not know how to live when
I go back to my own country--if ever I go back there."
This was added as it seemed involuntarily, and with a deep sigh.
"I warrant your honour go back again if you like it," said the dame:
"unless you think rather of taking a pretty well-dowered English lady,
as some of your countryfolk have done. I assure you, some of the best
of the city have married Scotsmen. There was Lady Trebleplumb, Sir
Thomas Trebleplumb the great Turkey merchant's widow, married Sir
Awley Macauley, whom your honour knows, doubtless; and pretty Mistress
Doublefee, old Sergeant Doublefee's daughter, jumped out of window,
and was married at May-fair to a Scotsman with a hard name; and old
Pitchpost the timber merchant's daughters did little better, for they
married two Irishmen; and when folks jeer me about having a Scotsman
for lodger, meaning your honour, I tell them they are afraid of their
daughters and their mistresses; and sure I have a right to stand up
for the Scots, since John Christie is half a Scotsman, and a thriving
man, and a good husband, though there is a score of years between us;
and so I would have your honour cast care away, and mend your
breakfast with a morsel and a draught.
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