"
"But you know I have no land," said the young lord, "at least none
that can be affected by any debt which I can at present become obliged
for--I think you need not have reminded me of that."
"True, my lord, most true; and, as your lordship says, open to the
meanest capacity, without any unnecessary expositions. Now, therefore,
my lord, unless Maister George Heriot has something mair to allege as
a motive for his liberality, vera different from the possession of
your estate--and moreover, as he could gain little by the capture of
your body, wherefore should it not be your soul that he is in pursuit
of?"
"My soul, you rascal!" said the young lord; "what good should my soul
do him?"
"What do I ken about that?" said Moniplies; "they go about roaring and
seeking whom they may devour--doubtless, they like the food that they
rage so much about--and, my lord, they say," added Moniplies, drawing
up still closer to his master's side, "they say that Master Heriot has
one spirit in his house already."
"How, or what do you mean?" said Nigel; "I will break your head, you
drunken knave, if you palter with me any longer."
"Drunken?" answered his trusty adherent, "and is this the story?--why,
how could I but drink your lordship's health on my bare knees, when
Master Jenkin began it to me?--hang them that would not--I would have
cut the impudent knave's hams with my broadsword, that should make
scruple of it, and so have made him kneel when he should have found it
difficult to rise again.
Pages:
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175