Volume one, Chapter twentieth, of the Antiquary. If you fail on her here, never presume to serve her any more. Bid farewell to the integrity of arms, and the honorable name of soldier fall from you, like a shivered wreath of laurel, by thunderstruck, from a desertless forehead. A fair quarrel. Early the next morning a gentleman came to wait upon Mr. Lovell, who was up and ready to receive him. He was a military gentleman, a friend of Captain Mintires, at President Fairport on the recruiting service. Lovell and he were slightly known to each other. I presume, sir, said Mr. Leslie, such was the name of the visitor, that you guessed the occasion of my troubling you so early. A message from Captain Mintire, I presume. The same. He holds himself injured by the manner in which you declined yesterday to answer certain inquiries, which he conceived himself entitled to make, respecting a gentleman whom he found an intimate society with his family. May I ask if you, Mr. Leslie, would have inclined to satisfy interrogatory so haughtily and unceremoniously put to you? Perhaps not. And therefore, as I know the warmth of my friend Mintire on such occasions, I feel very desirous of acting as peacemaker. For Mr. Lovell's very gentleman-like manners, everyone must strongly wish to see him rappel, all that sort of dubious calumny, which will attach itself to one whose situation is not fully explained. If you will permit me, in friendly conciliation, to inform Captain Mintire of his real name, for we are led to conclude that of Lovell is assumed, I beg your pardon, sir, but I cannot admit that inference, or at least, said Leslie, proceeding, that it is not the name by which Mr. Lovell has been at all times distinguished, if Mr. Lovell will have the goodness to explain this circumstance, which, in my opinion, he should do injustice to his own character. I will answer for the amicable arrangement of this unpleasant business. Which is to say, Mr. Leslie, that if I condescend to answer questions which no man has a right to ask, and which are now put to me under penalty of Captain Mintire's resentment, Captain Mintire will condescend to rest satisfied. Mr. Leslie, I have just one word to say on this subject. I have no doubt my secret, if I had one, might be safely entrusted to your honour, but I do not feel called upon to satisfy the curiosity of any one. Captain Mintire met me in society, which of itself was a warrant to all the world, and particularly ought to be such to him, that I was a gentleman. He has, in my opinion, no right to go any further, or to inquire the pedigree, rank, or circumstances, of a stranger, who, without seeking any intimate connection with him, or his, chances of dying with his uncle, or walk in company with his sister. In that case, Captain Mintire requests you to be informed that your father visits at Monk Barnes, and all connection with Mintire must be dropped, as disagreeable to him. I shall certainly, said level, visit Mr. Old Buck, when it suits me, without paying the least respect to his nephew's threats or irritable feelings. I respect the young lady's name too much, though nothing can be sliderer than our acquaintance, to introduce it into such a discussion. If that is your resolution, sir, answered Leslie, Captain Mintire requests that Mr. Level, unless he wishes to be announced as a very dubious character, will favor him with a meeting this evening, at seven, at the Thorn Tree in the Little Valley, close by the ruins of St. Ruth. Most unquestionably, I will wait upon him. There was only one difficulty. I must find a friend to accompany me, and were to seek one on this short notice, as I have no acquaintance in Fairport. I will be on the spot, however. Captain Mintire may be assured of that. Leslie had taken his hat, and was, as far as the door of the apartment, when, as if moved by the peculiarity of level situation, he returned, and thus addressed him. Mr. Level, there is something so singular in all this, that I cannot help again resuming the argument. You must be yourself aware, at this moment, of the inconvenience of your preserving an incognito, for which I am convinced there can be no dishonorable reason. Still, this mystery renders it difficult for you to procure the assistance of a friend in a crisis so delicate. Nay, let me add that many persons will even consider it, as a piece of quicksetry in Mintire, to give you a meeting, while your character and circumstances are involved in such obscurity. I understand your new window, Mr. Leslie, rejoin level, and though I might be offended at its severity, I am not so, because it is meant kindly. But in my opinion, he is entitled to all the privileges of a gentleman, to whose charge, during the time he has been known in the society, where he happens to move, nothing can be laid that is unhandsome or unbecoming. Before a friend, I dare say I shall find someone or other who will do me that good turn. And if his experience be less than I could wish, I am certain not to suffer through that circumstance, which you are in the field for my antagonist. I trust you will not, said Leslie. But as I must, for my own sake, be anxious to divide so heavy a responsibility with a capable assistant, allow me to say that Lieutenant Tafrel's gun-brig is coming to the roadstead, and he himself is now an old Caxons, where he lodges. I think you have the same degree of acquaintance with him as with me, and as I am sure I should willingly have rendered you such a service, where I not engaged on the other side. I am convinced he will do so, at your first request. At the thorn-tree, then, Mr. Leslie, at seven this evening. The arms, I presume, are pistols. Exactly. Mintyrus chose the hour at which he can best escape from Monk Barns. He was with me this morning by five, in order to return and present himself before his uncle was up. Good morning to you, Mr. Lovell. And Leslie left the apartment. Lovell was as brave as most men, but none can internally regard such a crisis as now approached, without deep feelings of awe and uncertainty. In a few hours he might be in another world, to answer for an action which his calmer thought told him was unjustifiable, in a religious point of view, or he might be wandering about in the present like Cain, with the blood of his brother on his head. And all this might be saved by speaking a single word. Yet pride whispered that to speak that word now would be ascribed to a motive which would degrade him more low than even the most injurious reasons that could be assigned for a silence.  Mintyr's insolent behavior to himself personally, the air of pretension which he assumed towards Miss Mordor, and the extreme injustice, arrogance, and insubility of his demands upon a perfect stranger, seemed to justify him in repelling his rude investigation. In short, he formed the resolution which might have been expected from so young a man, to shut the eyes, namely, of his calmer reason, and followed the dictates of his offended pride. With his purpose he sought Lieutenant Taffrel. The lieutenant received him, with the good reading of a gentleman, and the frankness of a sailor, and listened with no small surprise to the detail which preceded his request, that he might be favored with his company at his meeting with Captain Mintyr. When he had finished, Taffrel rose up and walked through his apartment once or twice. This is the most singular circumstance, he said, and really. I am conscious, Mr. Taffrel, how little I am entitled to make my present request, but the urgency of circumstances hardly leaves me an alternative. Permit me to ask you one question, asked the sailor. Is there anything of which you are ashamed, in the circumstances which you have declined to communicate? Upon my honor, no. There is nothing but what, in a very short time, I trust I may publish to the whole world. I hope the mystery arises from no false shame, at the lowness of your friends, perhaps, or connections. No, on my word, replied Lovell. I have little sympathy for that folly, said Taffrel. Indeed I cannot be supposed to have any, for, speaking of my relations, I may be said to have come myself from before the mast, and I believe I shall very soon form a connection, which the world will think low enough, with a very amiable girl, to whom I have been attached since we were next-door neighbors, at a time when I little thought of the good fortune which has brought me forward in the service. I assure you, Mr. Taffrel, replied Lovell, whatever were the rank of my parents, I should never think of concealing it from a spirit of petty pride. But I am so situated at present that I cannot enter on the subject of my family with any propriety. It is quite enough, said the honest sailor. Give me your hand. I'll see you as well through this business as I can, though it is but an unpleasant one, after all. But what of that? Our own honor has the next call on us after our country.  His father was a soldier of fortune, as I am a sailor. He himself, I suppose, is a little better, unless just as his uncle pleases. And whether one pursues fortune by land or sea makes no great difference, I should fancy. One in the universe, certainly, answered Lovell. Well, said his new ally, we will dine together, and arrange matters for this ring-counter. I hope you understand the use of this weapon. Not particularly, Lovell replied. I am sorry for that. Mentire is said to be a marksman. I am sorry for it also, said Lovell, both for his sake and my own. I must then, in self-defense, take my aim as well as I can. Well, added Taffel, I will have our surgeon's mate on the field, a good clever young fellow at Culkin, a shot-hole. I will let Leslie, who is an honest fellow for a landsman, know that he attends for the benefit of either party. Is there anything I can do for you in case of an accident? I have but little occasion to trouble you, said Lovell. This small billet contains the key of my escriture and my very brief secret. There was one letter in the escriture, digesting a temporary swelling of the heart as he spoke, which I beg the favor of you to deliver with your own hand. I understand, said the sailor. Nay, my friend, never be ashamed for the matter. An affectionate heart may overflow for an instant at the eyes if the ship were clearing for action. And, depend on it. Whatever your injunctions are, Dan Taffel will regard them like the bequest of a dying brother. But this is all stuff. We must get our things in fighting order, and you will die with me and my little surgeon's mate at the Graham's arms over the way at four o'clock. Agreed, said Lovell. Agreed, said Taffel. And the whole affair was arranged. It was a beautiful summer evening, and the shadow of the solitary thorn tree was lengthening upon the short green swan of the narrow valley, which was skirted by the woods that closed around the ruins of St. Ruth. Reader's note, supposed to have been suggested by the old abbey of Arborath in Forfisher. End Reader's note. Lovell and Lieutenant Taffel, with the surgeon, came upon the ground with the purpose of a nature very uncongenial to the soft, mild, and specific character of the hour in scene. The sheep, which during the ardent heat of the day had sheltered in the breeches and hollows of the gravely bank, or under the roots of the aged and stunted trees, had now spread themselves upon the face of the hill to enjoy their evening's pasture, and bleeded to each other with that melancholy sound which at once gives life to a landscape and marks its solitude. Taffel and Lovell came on in deep conference, having, for fear of discovery, sent their horses back to the town by the Lieutenant's servant. The opposite party had not yet appeared on the field, but when they came upon the ground, there sat upon the roots of the old thorn, a figure as vigorous in his decay, as the moss grown, but strong and contorted boughs, which served him for a canopy. It was old oakletree. "'This is embarrassing enough,' said Lovell. "'How shall we get rid of this old fellow?' Here, Father Adam, cried Taffel, who knew the mendicant of your. "'Here's half a crown for you.  "'If he's not come, you'll wait for him, and tell him we shall be with his master in about an hour's time. At any rate, wait there till we come back, and get off with you. Come, come, way anchor. "'Hey, thank you for Yamus,' said oakletree, pocketing the piece of money. "'But I beg your pardon, Mr. Taffel. I cannot gang your errand to you now.' "'Why not, man? What can hinder you?' "'I would speak a word with young Mr. Lovell.' "'With me?' answered Lovell. "'What would you say with me?' "'Come, say on, and be brief.' The mendicant let him a few paces aside. "'Are you indebted anything to the laird among barns?' "'Indebted?' "'No, not I.' "'What of that? What makes you think so?' "'Human ken. I was at the shearers the day. For God help me. I gang about the gates like the troubled spirit. And why should come whirl in there in a post-chase, but monk barns in an uncoo, carful foe? Now it's no little thing that will make his honor take a chase in post-hours, twy days runnin.' "'Well, well, what is all this to me?' "'Hoy, ye's here, ye's here.' "'Well, monk barns are closeted with the shearer, whatever poor folk may be left there out. Ye needn't doubt that. The gentleman, all are uncoo civil among themselves.' "'For heaven's sake, my old friend. Can you bind me gang to the deviled iron sister level? It won't be my purpose for you than to speak of heaven in that impatient gate. But I have private business with Lieutenant Taffel here. "'Well, well, I ain't good time,' said the beggar. I can use a little wee bit freedom with Mr. Lieutenant Taffel. Money's superior in the top. I worked for him lang sein, for I was a worker in wood as well as a tinkler. You are either mad at him or have a mind to drive me mad.' "'Nine of the twy,' said Eddie, suddenly changed in his manner from the protracted drawl of the mendicant to a brief and decided tone. The shearer sent first clerk, and as the lad is rather light of the tongue, I find it was for drawing a warrant to apprehend you. I thought it had been on a foggy warrant for debt. For I would he kens the lad like snobody to pit his hand in his porch. But nine might hide my tongue, for I see that my entire lad and Mr. Leslie coming up, and I guess that Monk Barnes's purpose was very kind, and that yours is muck a war than it should be. The antagonist now approached, and sleuded with the stern civility which befitted the occasion. "'What is this old fellow to do here?' said Mintire. "'I'm an old fellow,' said Eddie, but I'm also no outsider of your fathers, for I served with them in the forty-second. "'Serve where you please, you have no title to intrude on us,' said Mintire, or, and he lifted his cane in terorim, though without the idea of touching the old man. But Uncle Tree's courage was roused by the insult. "'How down your switch, Captain Mintire! I am an old soldier, as I said before, and I'll take Muckle Fry, your father's son. But no touch of the wand, while my pike staff would holly together.' "'Well, while I was wrong,' I was wrong, said Mintire. "'Here's a crown for you. Go your ways. What's the matter now?' The old man drew himself up to the full advantage of his uncommon height, and in despite of his dress, which indeed had more of the pilgrim than the ordinary beggar, looked from height, manner, and emphasis of voice and gesture, rather like a gray palmer or irremite preacher, the ghostly counselor of the young men who were around him, than the object of their charity. His speech, indeed, was as homely as his habit, but as bold and unceremonious, as his arrived in dignified demeanor. "'Where do ye come here for, young men?' he said, addressing himself to the surprised audience. "'Are ye come amongst the most lovely works of guide, to break his laws? Have ye left the works of men, the houses and the cities that are but cray and dust, like those that built them? And are ye come here among the peaceful hills and by the quiet waters, that will last a while as ought earthly shall endure, to destroy each other's lives, that will live but an uncool short time, by the course of nature, to make up a lying account at the close-out?' "'Why, sirs, how ye brothers, sisters, fathers, that I tended ye, and mothers that I've trivaded for ye?  And is this the way ye take to make them childless and brotherless and friendless? Horn!  Think, aunt Barnes, I'm a poor man, but I'm an old man, too, and what my poverty takes away, if I, the weight of my counsel, gray hairs and truthful heart, should add in twenty times. Gang heim, gang heim, like good lads. The French will be o'er in harry in us, I know these days, and ye'll hire fightin' enough, and maybe o'er daddy will herplot himself with ye and get a field-dike to lay his gun o'er, and may live to tell ye, what can ye does the best, where there's a good cause of for ye?' There was something in the undaunted and independent manner, hearty sentiment, and manly rude elocution of the old man, that had its effect upon the party, and particularly on the seconds, whose pride was uninterested in bringing the dispute to a bloody arbitrament, and who, on the contrary, eagerly watched for an opportunity to recommend reconciliation. Upon my word, Mr. Leslie, said Taffrel, old Adam speaks like an oracle. My friends here were very angry yesterday, and of course very foolish. Today they should be cool, or at least we must be so on their behalf. I think the word should be forget and forgive on both sides, that we should all shake hands, fire these foolish crackers in the air, and go home to supplement a body at the graham's arms. I would hardly recommend it, said Leslie, for amidst a great deal of heat and irritation on both sides, I confess myself unable to discover any rational ground of quarrel. Gentlemen, said Mintire, very coldly. All this should have been thought of before. In my opinion, persons that have carried this matter so far as we have done, and who should part without carrying it any farther, might go to supper at the graham's arms very joyously, but would rise the next morning with reputations as ragged as our friend here, who has obliged us with the rather unnecessary display of his oratory. I speak for myself, that I find myself bound to call upon you to proceed without more delay. And I, said Lovell, as I never desired any, have also to request these gentlemen to arrange preliminaries as fast as possible. Merns, berns, cried Old Oakultry, but perceiving he was no longer attended to. Mad men, I should say, put your blood beyond your heads. And the old man drew off from the ground, which was now measured out by the seconds, and continued muttering and talking to himself in solemn indignation, mixed with anxiety, and with a strong feeling of painful curiosity. Without paying farther attention to his presence or remonstrances, Mr. Leslie and Lieutenant made the necessary arrangements for the duel, and it was agreed that both parties should fire when Mr. Leslie dropped his handkerchief. The fatal sign was given, and both fired almost in the same moment. Captain Mintire's ball grazed the side of his opponent, but did not draw blood. That of Lovell was more true to the aim. Mintire reeled and fell, raising himself on his arm. His first exclamation was, It is nothing, it is nothing. Give us the other pistols. But in an instant, he said, in a lower tone, I believe I have enough, and what's worse, I fear I deserve it. Mr. Lovell, or whatever your name is, fly and save yourself. Bear all witness. I provoked this matter. Then, raising himself again on his arm, he added, Shake hands, Lovell, I believe you to be a gentleman.  The searching came up to perform as part of the tragedy, and Lovell stood gazing upon the evil of which he had been the active, though unwilling cause, with a dizzying and bewildered eye. He was roused from his trance by the grasp of the mendicant. Why stand ye, gazing on your dead? What's doomed is doomed. What's done is past your calling. But away, away, if you would save your young blood from a shameful death, I see the men out by yonder that are come over, late to Parchee. But out in a lack, soon enough in, our soon to drag ye to prison. He is right. He is right, exclaimed half roll. You must not attempt to get on the high road, get into the wood till night. My berg will be under sail by that time, and at three in the morning, when the tide will serve, I shall have the boat waiting for you at the Muscle Crag. Away, away, for heaven's sake. Oh, yes, fly, fly, repeated the wounded man, his words faltering with convulsive sobs. Come with me, said the mendicant, almost dragging him off. The captain's plan is the best. I'll carry you to a place where you might be concealed in the meantime, where they, to seek to ye, with sleuth hounds. Go, go, again urged Lieutenant Taffrel to stay here as mere madness. It was worse madness to have come hither, said Lovell, pressing his hand. But farewell. And he followed Oakle Tree into the recesses of the wood. End Chapter 20. Volume 1, Chapter 21 of The Antiquary. This labor box recording is in the public domain. The Antiquary by Sir Walter Scott. Chapter 21. The Lord Abbott had a soul, subtle and quick, and searching as the fire. By magic stairs, he went as deep as hell. And if in devil's possession, gold be kept, he brought some sure from thence, to his hidden caves, known safe to me, to none. The wonder of a kingdom. Lovell almost mechanically followed the beggar, who led the way with a hasty and steady pace, through bush and bramble, avoiding the beaten path, and often turning to listen whether there were any sounds of pursuit behind them. They sometimes descended into the very bed of the torrent, sometimes kept a narrow and precarious path, that the sheep, which with the sluddish negligence towards property of that sort universal in Scotland, were allowed to stray in the cops, had made along the very verge of its overhanging banks. From time to time, Lovell had a glance for the path, which he had traversed the day before, in company with Sir Arthur, the antiquary and the young ladies. Dejected, embarrassed, and occupied by a thousand inquietudes, as he then was, what would he now have given to regain the sense of innocence, which alone can counterbalance a thousand evils? Yet then, such was his hasty and involuntary reflection. Even then, guiltless and valued by all around me, I thought myself unhappy. What am I now, with this young man's blood upon my hands? The feeling of pride which urged me to the deed has now deserted me, as the actual fiend himself is said to do, those whom he has tempted to guilt. Even his affection for Miss Wardour, sunk for the time before the first pangs of remorse, and he thought he could have encountered every agony of slighted love, to have had the cautious freedom from blood-guiltiness, which he possessed in the morning. These painful reflections were not interrupted by any conversation on the part of his guide, who threaded the thicket before him, now holding back the sprays to make his path easy, now exhorting him to make haste, now muttering to himself, after the custom of solitary and neglected old age. Words which might have escaped Lovell's ear, even had he listened to them, or which apprehended and retained, were too isolated to convey any connected meaning. A habit which may be often observed among people of the old man's age in calling. At length, as Lovell, exhausted by his late indisposition, the harrowing feelings by which he was agitated, and the exertion necessary to keep up with his guide, in a path so rugged, began to flag and fall behind. Two or three very precarious steps placed him on the front of a precipice overhung with rushwood and cobs. Here a cave, as narrow in its entrance as a fox earth, was indicated by a small fissure in the rock, screened by the boughs of an aged oak, which anchored by its thick and twisted roots in the upper part of the cleft, flung its branches almost straight outward from the cliff, concealing it effectually from all observation. It might indeed have escaped the attention even of those who had stood at its very opening, so uninviting was the portal at which the beggar entered. But within, the cavern was higher and more roomy, cut into two separate branches which intersecting each other at right angles, formed an emblem of the cross, and indicated the abode of an anchorette of former times. There are many caves of the same kind in different parts of Scotland. I need only instance those of Gorton, near Rosslyn, in a scene well known to the admirers of romantic nature. The light within the eve was a dusky twilight at the entrance, which failed altogether in the inner recesses. Few folks can at this place, said the old man. To the best of my knowledge, there's just why I live in by myself, and that string-lean jock on the long linker. I've had many a thought that when I find myself odd and forfearing, and no able to enjoy God's blessed air any longer, I would drag myself here with a pickle-light meal and see there's a bit bony drop and well that popples that self-same gate simmer in winter. And I would iron streak myself out here and abide my removal, like an alley-dag that trails its useless oaks and carcass into some bush or brocken, not like I live in things of schooner with the silent when it's dead. High and then, when the dogs barked at the lone farmstead, the good wife would cry, "'Wish to stir up, that'll be I a daddy.' Had the bits of weens wired up for things and toddled to the door, put in the old blue gown that men's eye their bunny dies. But there would be no more word, already, I troll. He then led Lovell, who followed him, unresistingly, into one of the interior branches of the cave. Here, he said, his a bit torn by the stair that guides up to the odd curcaboon. Some folks say this place was huckered out by the monk's long sign to hide their treasure in, and some said that they used to bring things into the abbey this gate by night, that they durst not say will high-broughten by the main port in an open day. And some said that I knew them, turned to saint, or Iblins, what a head folk thinks I, and settled him down in the saint Ruth's cell as the old folks, I'd cut it, and guard with the stair that he might gang up to the curc when they were at the divine service. The Laird among barns would I a-handle to say about it, as he has about twice things, if he can only about that place. But whether it was made for man's devices or God's service, I've seen overmuckle sin done in it in my day, and far overmuckle have I been partaker of. Hi, even here in this dark cave. Many a good wife's been wondering what for the red cock didn't cry her up in the morning when he's been roasted, poor fellow, in this dark hole. And a-handle, I wish that Anne the Lycodot had been the worstite. Wives, they would have heard the din we were making in the very bowels of the earth, when Sander's Ike would. That was forester in those days. The father of Angann, that I was, was gone, donned round about the wood I even, to see after the Laird's game, whilst he would have seen a glance of the light by the door of the cave. Flow turned against the hazels on the other bank. And then sickened stories as Sander's had about the warry cows and direy carlins that hunted about the old ways at even. And the lights that he had seen, and the cries that he had heard, when there was nine mortal even, open by design. And hey, as he would run them over and over to the Lycomee, ironed the ingletting. And as I would guide the old silly Carly grind for grind, and tail for tail, though I couldn't muckle better about it than ever he did. Aye, aye, they were daft days, thy. But they were of ante and war.  Swore irons came to lack it when they eriled. While ochre tree was thus recounting the exploits and tricks of his earlier life, with the tone in which glee and compunction alternately predominated, his unfortunate auditor had sat down upon the hermit seat, hewn out of the solid rock, and abandoned himself to that lassitude, both of mind and body, which generally follows a course of events that have agitated both. The effect of his late indisposition, which had much weakened his system, contributed to this lethargic despondency. The poor bairn, said old Eddie, and he sleeps in the stampole, he'll maybe work a nightmare, or catch some sorry disease. It's no the same to him as to the Lycos that can sleep oniget and irons or wanes or foo. So thought Master Lovallad, after eyes come and gone, I dare say the Captain Lad will do well enough, and after I, you're no the first that has had this misfortune. I have seen money a man killed and helped to kill them myself, but there was not a quarrel between us. And if it is no wrong the killed folk we had not quarreled with, just because they were another sort of a cocaine and speak a foreign language, I kind of see what a man may have excuse for killing his eye mortal foe, that comes armed to the fair field to kill him. I didn't say it's right, God forbid, or that it isn't a sinful to take away what you can or restore. And that's the breath of man, walks in his nostrils. But I say it is a sin to be forgiven if it's repented of. Sinful men, are we I? But if you would believe an old gray sinner that has seen the evil in his ways, there's as much promise between the two boards of the testament as would save the worst of us. Could we but think, Psy? With such scraps of comfort and of divinity as he possessed, the mendicant thus continued to solicit and compel the attention of Lovell until the twilight began to fade into night. Nay, said Okkotri, I carry ye to a more convenient place where I set money a time to hear the howlid crying out of the ivy toad, and to see the moonlight come through the eyed windows of the ruins. There can be nobody come here after this time of night. And if they had made any search, die black-guard sheer officers and constables, it would lie a bin or a long sign. Hoid, they are as great cowards as either folk, with either warrants and kings' keys. Readers note, the kings' keys are, in law phrase, the crowbars and hammers used to force doors and locks in execution of the king's warrant. End Readers note, I, given some of them, a glyph in my day, when they were coming rather over near me, but louded we graced for it. They kinda stir me now for only war than an old man and a beggar, and my badge is a good protection. And then Miss Isabella Wardour is a tower strength, ye can, Lovell sighed. I wheeled, didn't be cast down, both may I roll right yet. Guy, the last ye time to ken her mind, she's the whale of the country, for beauty and a good friend of mine. I gang by the bridle as safe as by the crook on a sabbath. Dale, only of them, door her to her old eddy's head now. I keep the crown of the cosy when I guide to the burrow, and rub shoulders with a bailey with as little concern as, and he were a brook. While the mendicant spoke thus, he was busyed in removing a few loose stones in one angle of the cave, which obscured the entrance of the staircase of which he had spoken, and led the way into it, followed by Lovell in passive silence. There's free enough, said the old man. The monks took care of that, for they were no longer a breather generation, I reckon. They I contrived queer, turly, woody holes that gang out to the open air and keep the stairs color as a kale blade. Lovell accordingly found the staircase while aired, and though narrow, it was neither ruinous nor long, but speedily admitted them into a narrow gallery, contrived from within the sidewall of the chancel, from which he received air and light through apertures and geniusly hidden amid the foreign ornaments of the Gothic architecture. The secret passage I unscathed round, great part at the beginning, said the beggar, and through the wall, all the place I've heard monk-warns call the refractory. Reader's note, meaning probably, refractory, and reader's note. And so I waved to the priors' ironhouse. It's like you could use it to listen what the monks were saying in that mealtime, and then you might come in here and see that they were busy scrying away with the psalms down below there. And then when he sigh, I was right and tight. He might step away and fetch in a bonny lass at the cove yonder, for they were queer hands, the monks, unless money leases made on them. But our folk were a great pain's length sign to pick up the passage in some parts and put it down in others, for fear of some uncanny body getting into it, and finding their way down to the cove. It would have been a fascist job that by my certee, some more index, would have been euken. They now came to a place where the gallery was enlarged into a small circle, sufficient to contain a stone seat. A niche constructed exactly before it, projected forward into the chancel, and as its sides were lattice, as it were, with perforated stonework. It commanded a full view of the chancel in every direction and was probably constructed, as Eddie intimated, to be a convenient watchtower, from which the superior priest, himself unseen, might watch the behavior of his monks and ascertain by personal inspection their punctual attendance upon those rides of devotion, which his rank exempted him from sharing with them. As this niche made one of a regular series which stretched along the wall of the chancel, and in no respect differed from the rest when seen from below, the secret station, screened as it was by the stone figure of St. Michael and the dragon, and the open tracery around the niche, was completely hidden from observation. The private passage confined to its pristine breath had originally continued beyond this seat, but the jealous precautions of the vagabonds, who frequented the cave of St. Ruth, had caused them to build it carefully up with hewn stones from the ruin. We shall be better here, said Eddie, seated himself on the stone bench and stretching the lap of his blue gown upon the spot. When he motioned level to sit down beside him, we shall be better here than down below. The air is free and mild, and the savor of the wall flowers and succulent shrubs as grow on thy ruined wise, is far more refreshing than the damp smell down below yonder. They smell sweetest by night time thy flowers, and they're most I seen about rind buildings. Now, Master Level, can only your scholar's guide good reason for that? Level replied in the negative. I'm thinking, resume the beggar, that they'll be like money-folks good gifts that often seem most gracious in adversity. Or maybe it's a parable to teach us, notice light them that are in the darkness of sin and the decay of tribulation. Since God sends odors to refresh the merkest hour and flowers and pleasant bushes to clothe the ruined buildings. And I would like a wise man to tell me whether heaven is my squeeze with the sight we are looking upon, thy pleasant and quiet lying streaks of moonlight that are lying sight still on the floor, or this old kirk, and glancing through the great pillars and stanchions of the card windows, and just dancing like on the leaves of the dark ivy as the breath of wind shakes it. I wonder whether this is my place in heaven than it was lighted up with lamps and candles night out and ruffies, reader's note, links or torches, and reader's note, and with the mirth and the frankincent that they speak of in the holy scripture, and with organs assuredly, and men and women singers and sackboats and losimmers and high instruments of music. I wonder if that was acceptable, or whether it is of these grand, powerful ceremonies that holy writ says. It is an abomination to me. I'm thinking, Master Lovell, if twice poor contrite spirits like yours and mine find grace to make our petition. Here Lovell laid his hand eagerly on the medican's arm, saying, Hush, I heard someone speak. I'm door-lehearing, answered I need to whisper, but we're surely safe here. Where was the sound? Lovell pointed to the door of the chancel, which, highly ornamented, occupied the west end of the building, surmounted by the carved window, which led in a flood of moonlight over it. That could be nine hour folk, said Eddie, in the same low and cautious tone. There's but two of them kent the place, and they're money-mild off if they're still bound on their weary pilgrimage. I never think it's the officers here at this time of night.  But mortal or all of the other world, here they come, two men in a light. And in very truth, while the medican spoke, two human figures darkened with their shadows the entrance of the chancel, which had before opened to the menlet meadow beyond. And the small lantern which one of them displayed glimmered pale in the clear and strong beams of the moon, as the evening star does, among the lights of the departing day. The first and most obvious idea was that despite the severations of etiocal tree, the persons who approached the ruins at an hour so uncommon must be the officers of justice in quest of Lovell. But no part of their conduct confirmed the suspicion. A touch and a whisper from the old man warned Lovell that his best course was to remain quiet and watch their motions from their pleasant place of concealment. Should anything appear to render retreat necessary, they hide behind them the private staircase and cavern, by means of which they could escape into the wood long before any close pursuit. They kept themselves, therefore, as still as possible, and observed with eager and anxious curiosity every accent and motion of these nocturnal wanderers. After conversing together some time and whispers, the two figures advanced into the middle of the chancel and a voice which Lovell at once recognized from its tone and dialect to be that of Dostro Swivel, pronounced no louder but still a smother tone. Indeed, my good sir, there cannot be one finer hour nor season for this great purpose.  Mind-soul, he expects to get as rich as one Jew for his poor, dirty one hundred pounds, which I care no more about, by my own honest wart, than I care for in hundreds stivers. But you, my most munificent and reverend patron, I will show all these secrets that art can show, I, the secret of the great pine-mander. That other I, whispered, Eddie, one be, according to my likelihood, Sir Arthur Wardor. I can, nobody but himself would come here at this time of the evening with that German black guard. I would think he's bewitched him. He guards him even troll with that chalk his cheese. Let's see what they can be doing. This interruption and the low tone in which Sir Arthur spoke made Lovell lose all Sir Arthur's answer to the adept, accepting the last three emphatic words, very great expense, to which Douster swivel at once replied, expenses, to be sure, there must be the great expenses. You do not expect to reap before you do so to seed, the expense is to seed, the riches and the mine of good metal. And now the great big chests of plate, they are the crop. Very good crop too, on my word. Now Sir Arthur, you have sowed this night one little seed of ten guineas like one pinch of snuff, or so big. If you do not reap the great harvest, that is, the great harvest for the little pinch of seed, for it must be proportions you must know. They never call one honest man Herman Douster swivel. Now you see, my patron, for I will not conceal mine secret from you at all.  Every child knows that. Well, I take a silver plate when she is her 15th mansion, which mansion is in the head of Libra. And I grave upon one side the words, Shabdoshimath Skorachan, that is, day emblems of the intelligence of the moon. And I make this picture like a flying serpent with a turkey cock's head, very well. Then upon this side, I make the table of the moon, which is a square of nine, multiplied into itself, with 81 numbers on every side and diameter nine. Dirt is done very proper. Now I'll make disavail me at the change of every quarter noon that I shall find by the same proportions of expenses I lay out in the self-omegations as nine to the product of nine, multiplied into itself. But I shall find no more tonight as maybe two or three times nine because there's a 14 power in the house of ascendancy. But Dausterswivel said the simple baronet, does not this look like magic? I am a true though unworthy son of the Episcopal church, and I will have nothing to do with the foul fiend. Bah, bah, not a bit magic in it at all, not a bit. It is all founded on the planetary influence and to sympathy and force of numbers. I will show you much finer dendis. I do not say there is not disparate in it because of the self-omegation, but if you are not afraid, he shall not be invisible. I have no curiosity to see him at all, said the baronet, whose courage seemed from a certain quaver in his accent to have taken a fit of the agoo. That is great pity, said Dausterswivel. I should have liked to show you disparate, that guard distresher like one fierce watchdog, but I know how to manage him. You would not care to see him, not at all, answered the baronet, in a tone of fain and difference. I think we have but little time. You shall pardon me, my patron. It is not yet twelve, and twelve precise is just our planetary hours. And I could show you disparate very well in the meanwhile, just for pleasure. You see, I would draw a pentagon within a circle, which is no trouble at all, and make my self-omegation within it, and there we would be like in one strong castle, and you would hold the sword, while I did say the needful warts. Then you should see the solid wall open, like the gate of vine city. And then, let me see. I, you should see first one stag pursued by three black greyhounds, and they should pull him down, as they do at the elector's great hunting-match. Henden, one ugly. Little nasty black negro, should appear and take the stag from them. And puff, all should be gone. Henden, you should hear horns. Winden, that all the ruin should ring. Mine wart. They should play fine hunting-piece, as good as him, you'd called Fisher, with his, oh boy. Very well. Then comes one herald, as we call, urnhold, winding his horn. And then come to great Pelofan, called the mighty hunter of the north, mounted on Henden's black steed. But you would not care to see all this. Why, I'm not afraid, answer the poor baronet. If that is, does anything, any great mischiefs happen on such occasions? Bah, mischiefs? No. Sometimes if the circle be no quite just, or do beholder, beat a frightened coward, and not hold a sword firm and straight towards him, the great hunter will take his advantage, and drag him, exorcist out of the circle, and throttle him. That does happens. Well then, Dorstus Woebel, with every confidence in my courage and your skill, we will dispense with this apparition, and go on to the business of the night. With all my heart, it is just one thing to me, and now it is the time. Hold you to sword till I kindle the little, what you call, chip.  And when the flame was at the highest, and lightened, with its short-lived glare, all the ruins around, the German flung in a handful of perfumes, which produced a strong and pungent odor. The exorcist, and his pupil, both were so much affected as to cough and sneeze heartily, and as the vapor floated around the pillars of the building, and penetrated every crevice, it produced the same effect on the beggar and lovell. Was that an echo, said the Baronet, astonished at the sternitation which resounded from above, or, drawing close to the adept, can it be the spirit you talked of, ridiculing our attempt upon his hidden treasures? No, muttered the German, who began in partake of his pupil's terrors. I hope not. Here, a violent of sneezing, which the mendicant was unable to suppress, and which could not be considered by any means as the dying fall of an echo, accompanied by a grunting half-smother cough, confounded the two treasure-seekers. Lord of mercy on us, said the Baronet. Alleguten geistern, loben den hern, ejaculated the terrified adept. I was begun to think, he continued, after a moment's silence, that this would be the best or most done in the daylight. We was best or most to go away just now. You juggling villain, said the Baronet, in whom these expressions awakened a suspicion that overcame his terrors, connected as it was with the sense of desperation, arising from the apprehension of impending ruin. You juggling monta-bank, this is some leisure demand trick of yours to get off from the performance of your promise, as you have so often done before. But before heaven, I will this night know what I have trusted to when I suffered you to fool me onto my ruin. Go on, then.  Or, by the faith of a desperate and ruined man, I'll send you where you shall see spirits enough. The treasure finder, trembling between his terror for the supernatural beings, by whom he supposed himself to be surrounded and for his life, which seemed to be at the mercy of a desperate man. Could only bring out. Mine, patron, this is not the alberstamost usage. Consider mine honored sir that dispirits. Here, Eddie, who began to enter into the humor of the scene, uttered an extraordinary howl, being an exaltation and a prolongation of the most deplorable wine in which he was accustomed to solicit charity. Dostor Swivel flung himself on his knees. Dear sir Arthur, let us go or let me go. No, you cheating scoundrel, said the knight, unsheathing the sword which he had brought for the purposes of the exorcism. That shift shall not serve you, Monk Barns, warmly long since of your juggling pranks. I will see this treasure before you leave this place. I will have you confess yourself an imposter. Or, by heaven, I'll run the sword through you. So all the spirits of the dead should rise around us. For to love of heaven be patient, mine honored patron, and you shall have all the treasure as I knows of. Yes, you shall indeed, but do not speak about the spirits. It makes them angry. Eddie Oakletree here prepared himself to throw in another groan, but was restrained by Lovell, who began to take a more serious interest as he observed the earnest and almost desperate demeanor of Sir Arthur. Duster Swivel, having it once before his eyes the fear of the foul fiend and the violence of Sir Arthur, played his part of a conjurer, extremely ill, hesitating to assume the degree of confidence necessary to deceive the latter, lest it should give offense to the invisible cause of his alarm. However, after rolling his eyes, muttering and sputtering German exorcisms, with contortions of his face in person, rather flowing from the impulse of terror than of meditated fraud, he at length proceeded to a corner of the building where a flat stone lay upon the ground, bearing upon its surface the effigy of an armed warrior in a recumbent posture, carved in ball relief. He muttered to Sir Arthur, mind patrons, it is here, God save us all. Sir Arthur, who after the first moment of his superstitious fear was over, seemed to have bent up all his faculties to the pitch of resolution necessary to carry on the adventure. Lent the adept his assistants to turn over the stone, which by means of a lover that the adept had provided, their joint force with difficulty affected, no supernatural light burst forth from below to indicate the subterranean treasury, nor was there any apparition of spirits, earthly or infernal. But when Douster Swivel had with great trepidation, struck a few strokes with a mattock, and his hastily thrown out a shovelful or two of earth, for they came provided with the tools necessary for digging. Something was heard to ring like the sound of a falling piece of metal, and Douster Swivel hastily catching up the substance which produced it, and which his shovel had thrown out along with the earth, exclaimed, "'On mine, dear wart, mine patrons, this is all, it is indeed, I mean, all we can do tonight.' And he gazed round him with a cowering and fearful glance, as if to see from what corner the avenger of his impostor was to start forth. "'Let me see it,' said Sir Arthur, and then repeated, still more sternly, "'I will be satisfied, I will judge by my known eyes.' He accordingly held the object to the light of lantern. It was a small case or casket, for Lovell could not, at the distance exactly, discern shape, which from the baronet's exclamation, as he opened it, he concluded, was filled with coin. "'I,' said the baronet, "'this is being indeed, in good luck. And if it omens proportional success upon a larger venture, the venture shall be made. That six hundred of goldy words, added to the other incumbent claims, must have been ruined indeed. If you think we can parry it by repeating this experiment, suppose when the moon next changes, I will hazard the necessary advance. Come by it, how I may.' "'Oh, my good patrons, do not speak about all that,' said Douster Swivel, "'as just now, but help me to put de stone to de rights and let us be gone in our own ways.' And accordingly, so soon as the stones were placed, he hurried Sir Arthur, who was now resigned once more to his guidance, away from a spot where the Germans' guilty conscience and superstitious fears represented goblins as lurking behind each pillar with the purpose of punishing his treachery. "'So, anybody, err the like of that,' said Eddie, when they had disappeared like shadows through the gate by which they had entered. So, any creature, live an ever the like of that. But what can we do for that poor, joy-devil of a night baronet? Boyd, he showed muck on my spunk too than I thought had been in him. I thought he would, I sent cold iron through the vagabond. Sir Arthur was now half-so-bored at Bessie's apron yon night, but then his blood was up even now, and that makes an uncouth difference. I seen many a man would have failed another in anger him, that would have muckled, I like to clink against, crummy's horn yon time. But what's to be done?' "'I suppose,' said Lovell, his faith in this fellow was entirely restored by this deception, which unquestionably he had arranged beforehand. "'What, the Siller? Hi, I trust him for that. They that hide can best were to find. He wants to wild him out of all his last guinea, and then escape to his iron country, the Landloper. I would like it will just to come in at the clip-in time, and guide him a lounder with my pike-stef. He would have taken it for a menacing by some of the old dead abets. But it's best not to be rash, stickin' this negaing by strength, but by the guiding of the galley. Highs be upsized with him my day. "'What if you should inform Mr. Oldbuck?' said Lovell. "'Oh, I didn't akin. Monk Barnes and Sir Arthur are alike. And yet, they're no like neither. Monk Barnes has wilds influenced with him, and Wilds Sir Arthur cares as little about him as about the like of me. Monk Barnes would know that overwise himself in some things. He would believe a bottle to be an owned Roman coin, as he cies it, or a ditch to be a camp, upon only leasing that idle folk made about it.  Good, forgive me. But with I that, he has uncooled the sympathy with either folks.  He'll listen the high day, and yell, tell him about tales of wildness and blind harry and Davey Lindsay. But you wanna speak to him about ghosts or fairies or spirits walking the earth, or the like of that. He had almost flung old kaxen out of the window, and he might just as well have flung away his best wig after him. For three pennies he had seen a geist at the homelock know. Now, if he was taking it up in this way, he would have set up the tother's purse and maybe do more ill nor good. He said that twice or thrice about thy mind works. He would thought Sir Arthur had a pleasure in going on with them, the deeper, the more he was warned against it by Muck Barnes. What say you then, said Lovell, to let him miss Ward or no, the circumstance? Hoay, poor thing. How could she stop her father doing his pleasure? And besides, what would it help? There's a soulf in the country about the 600 pounds and there's a rider child in Edinburgh, has been driving the Spore Rose, all the law, up to the head and to Sir Arthur's sides, to gar and pay it. And if he canna, he'm on going to jail or flee the country. He's like a desperate man and just catches at this chance as ah, he has left to escape utter perdition. So it signifies playing in the poor lassie about what kinda be helped. And besides to say the truth, I wanna like to tell the secret of this place. It's uncool, convenient. You see yourself, to hide a hide-and-hole, eye-eyes on. And though I be out of the line, I need an eye-nane now and trust in the power of grace and I'll never do anything to need an again. Yet nobody can's what temptation I may be given or to. And to be brief, I don't abide the thought of anybody canna about the place. They say, keep a thing seven year and you'll find a use for it. And maybe I may need the cove, either for myself or for some other roadie. This argument in which Eddie Ocultry, notwithstanding his scraps of morality and of divinity, seemed to take perhaps from old habit, a personal interest. Could not be handsomely controversial by level who was at that moment reaping the benefit of the secret of which the old man appeared to be so jealous. This incident, however, was of great service to level, as diverting his mind from the unhappy occurrence of the evening and considerably rousing the energies which had been stupefied by the first few of his calamity. He reflected that it by no means necessarily followed the dangerous wound must be a fatal one, that he had been hurried from the spot even before the surgeon had expressed any opinion of Captain Bintire's situation. And that he had duties on earth to perform, even should the very worst be true, which if they could not restore his peace of mind or sense of innocence, would furnish a motive for enduring existence. And at the same time, rendered a course of active benevolence. Such were a level's feelings when the hour arrived, when according to Eddie's calculation, who by some train or process of his own in observing the heavenly bodies, stood independent of the assistance of a watch or timekeeper. It was fitting they should leave their hiding place and take themselves to the seashore in order to meet Lieutenant Taffel's boat according to appointment. They were treated by the same passage which had admitted them to the prior secret seat of observation. And when they issued from the grotto into the wood, the birds which began to chirp and even to sing announced that the dawn was advanced. This was confirmed by the light and amber clouds that appeared over the sea, as soon as their exit from the cops permitted them to view the horizon. Morning, said to be friendly to the muses, has probably obtained this character from its effect upon the fancy and feelings of mankind. Even to those who like level has spent a sleepless and anxious night. The breeze of the dawn brings strength and quickening both of mind and body. It was therefore with renewed health and vigor that level guided by the trusty mendicant brushed away the dew as he traversed the downs which divided the den of St. Ruth as the wood surrounding the ruins were popularly called from the seashore. The first level beam of the sun, as his brilliant disc began to emerge from the ocean, shot full upon the little gun-bring which was lying to in the offing. Close to the shore the boat was already waiting, Taffel himself with his naval cloak wrapped about him, seated in the stern. He jumped ashore when he saw the mendicant and level approach and shaking the ladder heartily by the hand begged him not to be cast down. Mentire's wound, he said, was doubtful, but far from desperate. His attention had got Level's baggage privately sent on board the bring. And he said he trusted that the level chose to stay with the vessel, the penalty of a short cruise would be the only disagreeable consequence of his ring counter. As for himself, his time and motions were a good deal at his own disposal, he said, accepting the necessary obligation of remaining on his station. We will talk of our farther motion, said Level, as we go on board. Then turning to Eddie, he endeavored to put money into his hand. I think, said Eddie, as he tendered it back again, the high folk here have either gone deft or they have made a vow to rein my trade as they say over muckl water drowns the miller. I had my gold offered me within this twire three weeks than I ever sewn in my life before. Keep the silver lad, you'll hide need o' it, I's warranty. And I nine my clays as nine great things, and I get to blue gown every year. And as money silver grows as the king, God bless him, is yours I'd. You and I serve the same master you can, Captain Taffel. There's rigan provided for, and my meat and drink I get for the asking in my rounds or at an ore time. I can gang a day without it, for I make it a rule never to pay for nine. So that's all I have the silver I need is just a white tobacco and snishing. It may be a dram at a time in a cold day, but I'm not a dram drinker to be a gabberlunzie.  Eddie was flint and adamant, not to be moved by rhetoric or in treaty. And therefore Lovell was under the necessity of again pocketing his intended bounty, and taking a friendly leave of the mendicant by shaking him by the hand, and assuring him of his cordial gratitude for the very important services which he had rendered him, recommending at the same time secrecy as to what they had that night witnessed. He had needed out that, said Okotri. I never tell tales out to young Cove in my life, though money a queer thing I have seen ain't. The boat now put off. The old man remained looking after it as it made rapidly towards the brig under the impulse of six stout rowers. And Lovell beheld him again, wave his blue bonnet as a token of farewell, ere he turned from his fixed posture, and began to move slowly along the sands as if resuming his customary perambulations. Readers note, note F, witchcraft, a great deal of stuff to the same purpose with that place in the mouth of the German adept, maybe found in Reginald Scott's discovery of witchcraft, third edition, Folio, London, 1665. The appendix is entitled, An Excellent Discourse of the Nature and Substances of Devils and Spirits in Two Books, the first by the aforesaid author, Reginald Scott, the second now added in this third edition as Sucedaneous to the Former and Conducing to the Completing of the Whole Work. The second book, though stated as Sucedaneous to the first, is in fact entirely at variance with it. For the work of Reginald Scott is a compilation of the absurd and superstitious ideas concerning witches so generally entertained at the time, and the pretended conclusion is a serious treatise on the various means of conjuring astral spirits. Note, Scott's discovery of witchcraft was first published in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, London, 1584. End note. End chapter 21. Volume two of the antiquary, chapter first. This labor box recording is in the public domain. The antiquary by Sir Walter Scott, chapter first. Wiser Raymondus, in his closest pen, laughs at such danger and adventurment when half his lands are spent in golden smoke. And now his second hopeful glass is broke. But yet, if happily his third furnace hold, devoted all his pots and pans to gold. Readers note, the author cannot remember where these lines are to be found, perhaps in Bishop Hall's satires. Editors note, they occur in book four, satire three. End note. About a week after the adventures commemorated in our last chapter, Mr. Oldbuck, descending to his breakfast parlor, found that his womankind were not upon duty, his toast not made, and the silver jug, which was want to receive his libations of mum, not duly aired for its reception. This confounded, hot brain boy, he said to himself, now that he begins to get out of danger, I can tolerate this life no longer. All goes to sixes and sevens. A universal, Saturnalia seems to be proclaimed in my peaceful and orderly family. I ask for my sister, no answer. I call, I shout, I invoke my inmates by more names than the Romans gave to their deities. At length Jenny, whose shrewl voice I have heard this half hour, looting in the tartarian regions of the kitchen, condescends to hear me in reply, but without coming upstairs. So the conversation must be continued at the top of my lungs. Here he again began to hollow aloud. Jenny, where's Miss Oldbuck? Miss Grizzies in the captain's room. Oh, I thought so. And where's my niece? Miss Mary's making the captain's tea. I suppose as much again. And where's Caxon? Away to the town about the captain's fouling gun and his setting dog.  When you knew that Miss Warder and Sir Arthur were coming here early after breakfast, how could you let Caxon go on such a tomfles errand? Me? What could I hinder him? Your honor, when I was contradict the captain even now, and him maybe Dane? Dying, said the alarmed antiquary. Ah, what? Has he been worse? No, he's nigh, nigh more than I can have. Reader's note, it is, I believe, a piece of free masonry or a point of conscience among the Scottish lower orders. Never to admit that a patient is doing better. The closest approach to recovery that they can be brought to allow is that the party inquired after is nigh war. End reader's note. Then he must be better. And what good is a dog and a gun to do here? But the one to destroy all my furniture, steal from my lotter and perhaps worry the cat, and the other to shoot somebody through the head. He has had gunning and pistoling enough to serve him one while, I should think. Here Miss Oldbuck entered the parlor at the door of which Oldbuck was carrying on this conversation. He bellowing downward to Jenny and she again screaming upward in reply. Dear brother, said the old lady, you cry yourself as hoarse as a cordy.   I've gone without my breakfast and am like to go without my wig. And I must not, I suppose, presume to say I feel either hunger or cold for fear of disturbing the sick gentleman who lies six rooms off and who feels himself well enough to send for his dog and gun. Though he knows I detest such a woman's ever since our elder brother, poor Willywald, marched out of the world on a pair of damp feet, caught in the kiddle-fitting moss. But that signifies nothing. I suppose I shall be expected by and by to lend a hand to Carrie Squire Hector out upon his litter. While he indulges his sportsmen-like propensities by shooting my pigeons or my turkeys, I think any of the Farai Naturi are safe from him for one while. Miss Muntire now entered and began to her usual morning's task of arranging her uncle's breakfast with the alertness of one who is too late in setting about a task and is anxious to make up for lost time. But this did not avail her.  I suppose you intend to reduce the toast with Cinder as a burnt offering for Juno, or what do you call her? The female dog there with some such pantheon kind of name, that your wise brother has in his first moments of mature reflection, ordered up as a fitting inmate of my house. I thank him, and meet company to aid the rest of the woman kind of my household in their daily conversation and intercourse with him.  She's been tied up in my brother's lodgings at Fairport, and she's broke her chain twice and came running down here to him. And you would not have us beat the faithful beast away from the door? It moments as if it is some sense of poor Hector's misfortune and will hardly stir from the door of his room. Why, said his uncle, they said Caxin had gone to Fairport after his dog and gun. Oh dear sir, no, answered Miss Muntire. It was to fetch some dressings that were wanted, and Hector only wished him to bring out his gun as he was going to Fairport at any rate. Well then, it is not altogether so foolish of business considering what a mess of a woman kind have been about it. Dressings, quota? And who is to dress my wig? But I suppose Jenny will undertake. Continued the old bachelor looking at himself in the glass to make it somewhat decent. And now let us set to breakfast, with what appetite we may. Well, may I say to Hector, as Sir Isaac Newton did to his dog Diamond, when the animal, I detest dogs, flung down the taper among calculations which would occupy the philosopher for twenty years and consume the whole mass of materials? Diamond, diamond, thou little knowest the mischief thou hast done. I assure you, Sir, replied his niece. My brother is quite sensible of the rashness of his own behavior and allows that Mr. Lovell behaved very handsomely. And much good doubt will do when he has frightened the lad of the country. I tell thee, Mary, Hector's understanding, and far more that of femininity, is inadequate to comprehend the extent of the loss which he has occasioned to the present age and to posterity, aureum quidum opus, a poem on such a subject with notes illustrative of all that is clear and all that is dark and all that is neither dark nor clear, but hovers in dusky twilight in the region of Caledonian antiquities. I would have made the Celtic Panagyrus look upon them. Fingal, as they conceitably term fin mock call, should have disappeared before my search, rolling himself in his cloud like the spirit of Loda. Such an opportunity can hardly again occur to an ancient and gray-haired man and to see it lost by the madcap spleen of a hot-headed boy. But I submit, heavens will be done. Thus continued the antiquary to Maunder as his sister expressed it during the whole time of his breakfast, while, despite of sugar and honey and all the comforts of a Scottish morning tea-table, his reflections rendered the mill bitter to all who heard them. But they knew the nature of the man. Monk Barnes' bark, said Miss Griseldo Goldbuck, in confidential intercourse with Miss Rebecca Blattergall, is muckled ward than is white. In fact, Mr. Goldbuck had suffered in mind extremely while his nephew was in actual danger and now felt himself at liberty upon his returning health, to indulge in complaints respecting the trouble he had been put to and the interruption of his antiquarian labors. Listen to, therefore, in respectful silence by his niece and sister, he unloaded his discontent in such grumblings as we have rehearsed, venting many a sarcasm against womankind, soldiers, dogs, and guns, all which implements of noise discord and tumult, as he called them. He professed to hold an utter abomination. This expectoration of spleen was suddenly interrupted by the noise of a carriage without. When shaking off all solanness at the sound, Goldbuck ran nimbly upstairs and downstairs. For both operations were necessary ere he could receive Ms. Wardor and her father at the door of his mansion. A cordial greeting passed on both sides and Sir Arthur, referring to his previous inquiries by letter and message, requested to be particularly informed of Captain Mentire's health. Better than he deserves was the answer. Better than he deserves for disturbing us with his vixen brawls and breaking God's peace and the kings. The young gentleman, Sir Arthur said, had been imprudent, but he understood they were indebted to him for the detection of a suspicious character in the young man level. No more suspicious than his own, answered the antiquary, eager in his favorites defense. The young gentleman was a little foolish and headstrong and refused to answer Hector's impertinent interrogatories. That is all. Loveful Sir Arthur knows how to choose his confidence better. I, Ms. Wardor, you may look at me, but it is very true. It was in my bosom that he deposited the secret cause of his residence at Fairport. And no stone should have been left unturned on my part to assist him in the pursuit to which he had dedicated himself. On hearing this magnanimous declaration on the part of the old antiquary, Ms. Wardor changed color more than once and could hardly trust her own ears. For of all confidants to be selected as the depository of love affairs, and such she naturally supposed must have been the subject of communication. Next to the old antiquary, Old Blick seemed the most uncouth and extraordinary. Nor could she sufficiently admire or fret at the extraordinary combination of circumstances, which thus threw a secret of such a delicate nature into the possession of persons so unfitted to be entrusted with it. She had next to fear the motive of Old Buck's entering upon the affair with her father. For such, she doubted not, what's his intention? She well knew that the honest gentleman, however vehement in his prejudices, had no great sympathy with those of others, and she had to fear a most unpleasant explosion upon an éclairissement taking place between them. It was therefore with great anxiety that she heard her father request a private interview and observed Old Buck readily arise and show the way to his library. She remained behind attempting to converse with the ladies of Monk Barnes, but with the distracted feelings of Macbeth, when compelled to disguise his evil conscience by listening and replying to the observations of the attendant Thanes upon the storm of the preceding night, while his whole soul is upon the stretch to listen for the alarm of murder, which he knows must be instantly raised by those who have entered the sleeping apartment of Duncan. But the conversation of the two virtuosi turned on a subject very different from that which Ms. Bordor apprehended. Mr. Old Buck, said Sir Arthur, when they had, after a due exchange of ceremonies, fairly seated themselves in the sanctum sanctorum of the antiquary, you, who know so much of my family matters, may probably be surprised at the question I'm about to put to you. Why, Sir Arthur, if it relates to money, I am very sorry, but it does relate to money matters, Mr. Old Buck. Really, then, Sir Arthur, continue the antiquary in the present state of the money market and stocks being so low. You mistake my meaning, Mr. Old Buck, said the baronet. I wish to ask your advice about laying out a large sum of money to advantage. The devil exclaimed the antiquary and sensible that his involuntary ejaculation of wonder was not over and above civil. He proceeded to qualify it by expressing his joy that Sir Arthur should have a sum of money to lay out when the commodity was so scarce. And as for the mode of employing it, said he, pausing, the funds are low at present, as I said before, and there are good bargains of land to be had. But had you not better begin by clearing off incumbrances, Sir Arthur? There is the sum and the personal bond and the three notes of hand. Continuity, taking out of the right-hand drawer of his cabinet a certain red memorandum book of which Sir Arthur, from the experience of former frequent appeals to it, abhorred the very sight. With the interest thereon amounting altogether to, let me see, to about a thousand pounds, said Sir Arthur hastily, you told me the amount the other day. But there's another term's interest due since that, Sir Arthur, and it amounts, errors accepted, to eleven hundred and thirteen pounds, seven shillings, five pennies, and three-fourths of a penny sterling. But look over the summation yourself. I dare say you are quite right, my dear Sir, said the baronet, putting away the book with his hand, as one rejects the old-fashioned civility that presses food upon you after you have eaten till you nauseate. Perfectly right, I dare say, and in the course of three days or less you shall have the full value, that is, if you choose to accept it in bouillon. Bouillon? I suppose you mean lead. What the deuce? Have we hit on the vein than at last? But what could I do with a thousand pounds worth and upwards of lead? The former avids of Troat Coasey might have roofed their church in monastery with it indeed. But for me, by bouillon, said the baronet, I mean the precious metals, gold and silver. I, indeed, and from what El Dorado is this treasure to be imported? Not far from hence, said Sir Arthur, significantly. And now I think of it, you shall see the whole process on one small condition. And what is that? Crave the antiquary. Why, it will be necessary for you to give me your friendly assistance by advancing one hundred pounds or thereabouts. Mr. Oldbuck, who had already been grasping an idea, the sum, principle, and interest, of a debt which he had long regarded as well-nigh-desperate, was so much astounded that the tables being so unexpectedly turned upon him that he could only re-echo, in an accent of woe and surprise, the words, advance one hundred pounds. Yes, my good sir, continued Sir Arthur, but upon the best possible security of being repaid in the course of two or three days. There was a pause. Either Oldbuck's nether-jaw had not recovered its position, so as to enable him to utter a negative, or his curiosity kept in silent. I would not propose to you, continued Sir Arthur, to oblige me thus far if I did not possess actual proofs of the reality of those expectations, which I now hold out to you. And I assure you, Mr. Oldbuck, that in entering fully upon this topic, it is my purpose to show my confidence in you, and my sense of your kindness on many former occasions. Mr. Oldbuck professed his sense of obligation, but carefully avoided committing himself by any promise of farther assistance. Mr. Douster Swivel, said Sir Arthur, having discovered, here Oldbuck broke in, his eyes sparkling with indignation. Sir Arthur, I so often warned you of the navery of that rascally quack that I really wonder you should quote him to me. But listen, listen, interrupted Sir Arthur in his turn. It will do you no harm. In short, Douster Swivel persuaded me to witness an experiment which he had made in the ruins of St. Ruth. And what do you think we found? Another spring of water, I suppose, of which the rogue had beforehand taken care to ascertain the situation and source. No indeed, a casket of gold and silver coins. Here they are. With that, Sir Arthur drew from his pocket a large ram's horn with a copper cover, containing a considerable quantity of coins, chiefly silver, but with a few gold pieces intermixed. The antiquary's eyes glistened as he eagerly spread them out on the table. Upon my word, Scotch, English and foreign coins of the 15th and 16th centuries, and some of them, Rari, et Rariorus, etium rarisimi. Here's the bonnet piece of James the Fifth, the unicorn of James the Second. I and the gold festoon of Queen Mary with their head and the Dauphans. And these were really found in the ruins of St. Ruth. Most assuredly, my own eyes witnessed it. Well, replied Old Buck, but you must tell me the when, the where, the how. The when, answered Sir Arthur, was at midnight the last full moon. The where, as I have told you in the ruins of St. Ruth's priory, the how was by a nocturnal experiment of Dostroeswivel, accompanied only by myself. Indeed, said Old Buck, and what means of discovery do you employ? Only a simple self-immigration, said the baronet, accompanied by availing ourselves of the suitable planetary hour. Simple self-immigration, simple nonsensification, planetary hour, planetary fiddle-stick, sapiens, domni abitur astris. My dear Sir Arthur, that fellow has made a gall of you above ground and underground, and he would have made a gall of you in the air too, if he had been by when he was craned by the devil's turnpike yonder at Hulket Head. To be sure, the transformation would have been peculiarly apropos. Well, Mr. Old Buck, I'm obliged to you for your indifferent opinion of my discernment, but I think you will give me credit for having seen what I say I saw. Certainly, Sir Arthur, said the antiquary. To this extent, at least, that I know Sir Arthur Warder will not say he saw anything, but what he thought he saw. Well then, replied the baronet, as there is a heaven above us, Mr. Old Buck, I saw, with my own eyes, these coins dug out of the chancel of St. Ruth at midnight. And as to Douser Swivel, although the discovery be owing to his science, yet to tell the truth, I should not think he would have had firmness of mind to have gone through with it if I had not been beside him. I, indeed, said Old Buck, in the tone used when one wishes to hear the end of a story before making any comment.  We did hear some very uncommon sounds, that is certain, proceeding from among the ruins. Oh, you did, said Old Buck, an accomplice hid among them, I suppose. Not a jot, said the baronet. The sounds, though of a hideous and preternatural character, rather resembled those of a man who sneezes violently than any other. One deep groan I certainly heard besides, and Douser Swivel assures me that he beheld the spirit, pale fun, the great hunter of the north, look for him in your Nicholas Remigius, or Petrus the raucous, Mr. Old Buck, who mimicked the motion of snuff-taking and its effects. These indications, however singular as proceeding from such a personage, seem to have been apropos to the matter, said the antiquary. For you see the case, which includes these coins, has all the appearance of being an old-fashioned Scottish snuff mill. But you persevered in spite of the terrors of this sneezing goblin? Why, I think it probable that a man of inferior sense or consequence might have given way, but I was jealous of an imposter, conscious of the duty I owe to my family in maintaining my courage under every contingency, and therefore I compelled Douser Swivel, by actual and violent threats, to proceed with what he was about to do. And, sir, the proof of his skill and honesty is this parcel of gold and silver pieces, out of which I beg you to select such coins or medals as will best suit your collection. Why, sir Arthur, since you are so good in on-condition you will permit me to mark the value according to Pinkerton's catalogue and appreciation. Against your account in my red book, I will with pleasure select, nay, said sir Arthur Wardour. I do not mean you should consider them as anything, but a gift of friendship, and, at least of all, would I stand by the valuation of your friend Pinkerton, who has impugned the ancient and trustworthy authorities upon which, as upon venerable and moss-grown pillars, the credit of Scottish antiquities were posed. Aye, aye, rejoined Old Buck, you mean, I suppose, Mare and Boyce, and Harkin and Boaz, not of history, but of falsification and forgery. And notwithstanding all you have told me, I look on your friend Douser Swivel to be as apocryphal as any of them. Why, then, Mr. Old Buck, said sir Arthur, not to awaken old disputes, I suppose you think that, because I believe in the ancient history of my country, I have neither eyes nor ears to ascertain what modern events pass before me. Pardon me, sir Arthur, rejoin the antiquary, but I consider all the affectation of terror which this worthy gentleman, your co-agitor, chose to play off as being merely one part of his trick of mystery. And with respect to the gold or silver coins, there are so mixed in being gold in country and date that I cannot suppose there could be any genuine hoard, and rather suppose them to be, like the purses upon the table of Huda Bross's lawyer. Money placed for show, like nest eggs, to make clients lay, and for his false opinions pay. It is the trick of all professions, my dear sir Arthur. Pray, may I ask you how much this discovery cost you? About ten guineas. And you have gained what is equivalent to twenty an actual bullion, and what may be perhaps worth as much more to such fools as ourselves, who are willing to pay for curiosity. This was allowing you a tempting profit on the first hazard, I must needs admit. And what is the next venture he proposes? A hundred and fifty pounds. I've given him one third part of the money, and I thought it likely you might assist me with the balance. I should think that this cannot be meant as a parting blow, is not of weight and importance sufficient. He will probably let us win this hand also, as Sharper's manage a raw game-ster. Sir Arthur, I hope you believe I would serve you. Certainly, Mr. Old Buck, I think my confidence in you on these occasions leaves no room to doubt that. Well then, allow me to speak to Duster Swivel. If the money can be advanced usefully and advantageously for you, why, for old neighbor's sake, you shall not want it. But if, as I think, I can recover the treasure for you without making such an advance, you will, I presume, have no objection. Unquestionably, I can have none whatsoever. Then where is Duster Swivel? Continue the antiquary. To tell you the truth, he is in my carriage below, but knowing your prejudice against him. I thank heaven, I'm not prejudiced against any man, Sir Arthur. It is systems, not individuals, that incur my reprobation. He rang the bell. Jenny, Sir Arthur and I offer our compliments to Mr. Duster Swivel, the gentleman in Sir Arthur's carriage, and beg to have the pleasure of speaking with him here. Jenny departed and delivered her message. It had been by no means a part of the project of Duster Swivel to let Mr. Oldbuck into his supposed mystery. He had relied upon Sir Arthur's obtaining the necessary accommodation without any discussion as to the nature of the application, and only waited below for the purpose of possessing himself of the deposit as soon as possible, for he foresaw that his career was drawing to a close. But when summoned to the presence of Sir Arthur and Mr. Oldbuck, he resolved gallantly to put confidence in his powers of impudence, of which the reader may have observed his natural share was very liberal. End chapter first.


Asiwajubola Ahmed Tinibu has confirmed his intention to contest the office of the President in 2023. Tinibu has also disclosed this that he has informed President Muhammad Abu Hari about his presidential ambition. He disclosed this to State House Correspondents on Monday after meeting with President Muhammad Abu Hari at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. According to him, contesting the presidency is his lifelong ambition. I can answer that category, yes, I've informed the President of my intention, but I've not informed the Nigerians yet. I'm still consulting and I have no problem consulting and I've not set a parameter of limitation to the extent of how many people would like to consult. You will soon hear, all you want to hear is a categorical declaration. You've gotten that truth from me that I've informed the Minister President of my ambition and you don't expect more answers than that. First of all, the National Assembly and the President must be encouraged to review and they review again. Whatever they come up with Electoral Amendment is what we must comply with. There's no unlimited electricity in what we face because we have to plan and plan well and be able to manage the time effectively. The great roadmap to success is ability of a leader to do what he must do at the right time that he should be done. So that, to me, the Electoral Amendment point, where we still look at that collectively and it is our country, it's our democracy, we adopted it and we will pursue it rigorously. About the cup of a kingmaker, I've never seen the cup of a kingmaker before. That is the truth and I've never seen where it is written in the rule book anywhere in any country that a kingmaker cannot be a king unless you commit murder. So whatever is your attribute is your own opinion. Me, I want to pursue my ambition without the title of a kingmaker. You can write your literature and your story based upon your own perception. Joining us live is political analyst Björn of Show Me. As we break down this particular story, thank you very much for joining us. Well, this doesn't necessarily come as a surprise to many as speculations have been rife on his ambition to run for the presidency ticket on the platform of the All Progressive Congress. But what are your thoughts? Well, we still don't have a categorical declaration from Ashwajibullah Amethibundu. He has only let us into his thinking that he's busy consulting within the context of the law and what is he actually referring to? My view is that, well, we have an Electoral Act which has its own restrictions on when you can declare that you are a candidate or not. He hinted at that by saying that within the limitations of the law, which is the current Electoral Act, I made a reference to the amendment when passed, then that could be examined to see whether those limitations are new or they're there or what are the new conditionalities in the Electoral Act. So that is on one point why it's limited to declare his candidacy. It could only go to the point or to the extent of saying, look, I am consulting and I am performing Mr. President of my pension. That is not a foundation of the Electoral Act as he stands currently. Then he further went ahead to try and explain his own perception of the issue of king-makers. Quite a lot of political candidates actually pitched their heads that, you know, who will end up becoming another king-maker this time around rather than being bidding for the crown himself. You know, there are so many speculation about who he will end us or not end us. But now we now know that he's not thinking of being a king-maker any longer. And he explained the fact that there is no constitutional inhibition from a king-maker or no king-maker from bidding for the throne, you know, to the crown. So basically what he's saying is that irrespective of the role he has played in the past, there's no inhibition, legally wise, you know, to his future aspiration, you know, which is to be a candidate in the next section for the precedence. So I think it's been very, very clear, you know, people already know his fight. We can understand his psychological construct, his personal construct, his makeup, and where he's going, his direction, is let us into that thinking without bounding the electoral, you know, act assistance today on when I make a ruling. So that's so far what I think he has done. Let's go on to the support that he might be receiving now that he has somewhat hinted that he might be interested in the revered seat of the president. We also know that we had seen Billboards surface in the FCT of the vice president also seemingly looking like he's also throwing his hat into the ring here. Will there be, do you see a split in supports within the party and of course in the Southwest being that these two come from the same extraction? Yeah, well, I think Tinium Bull's announcement or his letting us into his thinking current is with a pitch to put a stop to some of the debt moves being made by supporters or, how would I call it, enablers of different one or two different candidates in the Southwest. Who have been their hope on the fact that maybe Tinium Bull is designed to be a king-maker and therefore open the way for them. And their supporters have been busy campaigning, creating billboards and all that everywhere, both on social media, physically, you know, in the state capital, La Putia. Now, what he has done with that announcement is going to have to call for retrospection. Many, two, at least one or two of those thought leading candidates apart will have to be think whether they can afford to take on Tinium Bull in the Southwest for the popular books. One, and two, whether they can afford to take on the individual party, APC. So, knowing that they will enjoy the support of many of the ACN factions that came into APC and possibly he has considerable and major support also in the North, which the North and the APC couples, yes, which could go in his favor. That Novistan, it does not mean that it doesn't have, people are vast to be central. Yes, they have within the party. Yes, they have within the country. What is determined to contest is being encouraged by the level of support is getting from the consultation. Interesting. You answered almost everything in my next question because I was going to ask how formidable a candidate he would be, not just because you know in the Southwest he seems to be not just a kingmaker, he seems to be the leader of the party, but one would wonder how well he will fare in the South-South and the Southeast and of course the North. So, you have said he might have some fraction of support in the North, but can that be said of him in the Southwest, sorry, in the South-South and the Southeast, knowing that there's an agitation of sorts coming from not just the Southeast, but even the South-South. Yeah, parallel to two years ago, I would have been one of those who would say that there'll be a measure, a considerable measure of rejection or opposition to the continuous candidacy in the South-South and the Southeast. What we have seen so far is that given the political realities currently, the division in the country, even amongst the governments, along the South and North, four lines, we are in a situation where the South is probably going to look at who is best placed to win the election, who is a certain candidate and who is not the best placed. From all those indicating their interests so far, there is no doubt in my mind that you know who has the farthest reach when you talk within the South in terms of crossing the North barrier. Yes, you might not enjoy popular support in the South-South. Why enjoy some support in the South-South? Because you still have the APC as a political party. In those days, the fact of the matter is the South has resolved that a candidate from the South should be the next president. So if Tinumbo wins the APC ticket, it is possible another Southern candidate will win the PDP ticket. It is possible, not impossible. So if that should happen, then you are likely going to have a South-West candidate against maybe a South-South candidate through the PDP. If that happens, the North would amid the wealth to determine what happens in that election. But in the unlikely events, that the PDP offers the ticket to the North and South, which I will understand why if they choose to do that, because it is with a view to create a sharp contradiction and see whether they can get the majority of the votes from the North to back their own candidates, hoping to slice into South-East and South-South. In the event of that happening, there needs to be a straight forward battle between an APC if Tinumbo eventually declares and gets the ticket, between Tinumbo and whoever is the Northern candidate of PDP. So that would be a very interesting comment. I think it promises a lot in terms of campaigning, in terms of the issues of the national question, in terms of how they will handle security. It would be very interesting to listen to them. At least we have a proper debate. This time around and people will understand what the issues are and their policies and the positions of whoever they elect. Well, Piyano Shomami is a political analyst. We thank you so much for speaking with us. My pleasure.