"
"How, man--how,--man--how, man!" exclaimed the king, reddening and
stammering, but with emotions more noble than those by which he was
sometimes agitated--"What is that you dare to say to us?--Sell our
justice!--sell our mercy!--and we a crowned king, sworn to do justice
to our subjects in the gate, and responsible for our stewardship to
Him that is over all kings?"--Here he reverently looked up, touched
his bonnet, and continued, with some sharpness,--"We dare not traffic
in such commodities, sir; and, but that ye are a poor ignorant
creature, that have done us this day some not unpleasant service, we
wad have a red iron driven through your tongue, _in terrorem_ of
others.--Awa with him, Geordie,--pay him, plack and bawbee, out of our
monies in your hands, and let them care that come ahint."
Richie, who had counted with the utmost certainty upon the success of
this master-stroke of policy, was like an architect whose whole
scaffolding at once gives way under him. He caught, however, at what
he thought might break his fall. "Not only the sum for which the
jewels were pledged," he said, "but the double of it, if required,
should be placed at his Majesty's command, and even without hope or
condition of repayment, if only--"
But the king did not allow him to complete the sentence, crying out
with greater vehemence than before, as if he dreaded the stability of
his own good resolutions,--"Awa wi' him--swith awa wi' him! It is time
he were gane, if he doubles his bode that gate.
Pages:
612
613
614
615
616
617
618
619
620
621
622
623
624
625
626
627
628
629
630
631
632
633
634
635
636