"
"Were you lauding the taste of my embroidery, Maister Maxwell?"
answered the knight, who apparently interpreted the deputy-
chamberlain's meaning rather from his action than his words;--"it is
of an ancient and liberal pattern, having been made by your mother's
father, auld James Stitchell, a master-fashioner of honest repute, in
Merlin's Wynd, whom I made a point to employ, as I am now happy to
remember, seeing your father thought fit to intermarry with sic a
person's daughter."
Maxwell looked stern; but, conscious there was nothing to be got of
Sir Mungo in the way of amends, and that prosecuting the quarrel with
such an adversary would only render him ridiculous, and make public a
mis-alliance of which he had no reason to be proud, he covered his
resentment with a sneer; and, expressing his regret that Sir Mungo was
become too deaf to understand or attend to what was said to him,
walked on, and planted himself beside the folding-doors of the
presence-chamber, at which he was to perform the duty of deputy-
chamberlain, or usher, so soon as they should be opened.
"The door of the presence is about to open," said the goldsmith, in a
whisper, to his young friend; "my condition permits me to go no
farther with you. Fail not to present yourself boldly, according to
your birth, and offer your Supplication; which the king will not
refuse to accept, and, as I hope, to consider favourably.
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