" A subdued
laugh, such as the situation permitted, passed round amongst those who
heard this specimen of Sir Mungo's sarcastic temper. But the old
nobleman stepped still more forward, saying,--"What!--the son of my
gallant old opponent, Ochtred Olifaunt--I will introduce him to the
presence myself."
So saying, he took Nigel by the arm, without farther ceremony, and was
about to lead him forward, when Maxwell, still keeping his rod across
the door, said, but with hesitation and embarrassment--"My lord, this
gentleman is not known, and I have orders to be scrupulous."
"Tutti--taiti, man," said the old lord, "I will be answerable he is
his father's son, from the cut of his eyebrow--and thou, Maxwell,
knewest his father well enough to have spared thy scruples. Let us
pass, man." So saying, he put aside the deputy-chamberlain's rod, and
entered the presence-room, still holding the young nobleman by the
arm.
"Why, I must know you, man," he said; "I must know you. I knew your
father well, man, and I have broke a lance and crossed a blade with
him; and it is to my credit that I am living to brag of it. He was
king's-man and I was queen's-man during the Douglas wars--young
fellows both, that feared neither fire nor steel; and we had some old
feudal quarrels besides, that had come down from father to son, with
our seal-rings, two-harided broad-swords, and plate-coats, and the
crests on our burgonets.
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