Dead folks may sleep yonder sound enow, but deil haet
else."
"And what became of you next?" said his master.
"I just took to a canny bulkhead, as they ca' them here; that is, the
boards on the tap of their bits of outshots of stalls and booths, and
there I sleepit as sound as if I was in a castle. Not but I was
disturbed with some of the night-walking queans and swaggering
billies, but when they found there was nothing to be got by me but a
slash of my Andrew Ferrara, they bid me good-night for a beggarly
Scot; and I was e'en weel pleased to be sae cheap rid of them. And in
the morning, I cam daikering here, but sad wark I had to find the way,
for I had been east as far as the place they ca' Mile-End, though it
is mair like sax-mile-end."
"Well, Richie," answered Nigel, "I am glad all this has ended so well
--go get something to eat. I am sure you need it."
"In troth do I, sir," replied Moniplies; "but, with your lordship's
leave--"
"Forget the lordship for the present, Richie, as I have often told you
before."
"Faith," replied Richie, "I could weel forget that your honour was a
lord, but then I behoved to forget that I am a lord's man, and that's
not so easy. But, however," he added, assisting his description with
the thumb and the two forefingers of his right hand, thrust out after
the fashion of a bird's claw, while the little finger and ring-finger
were closed upon the palm, "to the Court I went, and my friend that
promised me a sight of his Majesty's most gracious presence, was as
gude as his word, and carried me into the back offices, where I got
the best breakfast I have had since we came here, and it did me gude
for the rest of the day; for as to what I have eaten in this accursed
town, it is aye sauced with the disquieting thought that it maun be
paid for.
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