behaviour which we, who drew our swords in a better cause, ought to have practised out of true principle. But here is my hand, Captain. I have often wished to see the honest fellow who charged up so smartly in our behalf, and I reverence you for the care you took of the poor child. I am glad this dilapidated place has still some hospitality to offer you, although we cannot treat you to roasted babes or stewed sucklings-eh, Captain ?"

"Troth, Sir Henry, the scandal was sore against us on that score. I remember Lacy, who was an old play-actor, and a lieutenant in ours, made drollery on it in a play which was sometimes acted at Oxford, when our hearts were something up, called, I think, the Old Troop."

* This curious old play may be consulted by the dramatic antiquary. A scene or two of it turns on the strange impression made on the country people, that the cavaliers actually eat children. It was written by Lacy, a player, who had served in this same Old Troop, which lay under such evil reputation. Miss Edgeworth has quoted a verse of a popular poem referring to the same prejudice:

"The pest that came from Coventry,

Riding in a red rochet,

Had news to tell, how Lunsford fell,

A child's hand in his pocket."

It was not a small cause of the violent prejudices of the citizens

So saying, and feeling more familiar as his merits were known, he hitched his chair up against that of the Scottish lad, who was seated next him, and who, in shifting his place, was awkward enough to disturb, in his turn, Alice Lee, who sate opposite, and, a little offended, or at least embarrassed, drew her chair away from the table.

"I crave pardon," said the honourable Master Kerneguy; "but, sir," to Master Wildrake, "ye hae e'en garr'd me hurt the young lady's shank.”

"I crave your pardon, sir, and much more that of the fair lady, as is reasonable; though, rat me, sir, if it was I set your chair a-trundling in that way. Zooks, sir, I have brought with me no plague, nor pestilence, nor other infectious disorder, that ye should have started away as if I had been a leper, and discomposed the lady, which I would have prevented with my life, sir. Sir, if ye be northern born, as your tongue bespeaks, egad it was I ran the risk in drawing near you, so there was small reason for you to bolt."

"Master Wildrake," said Albert, interfering,

of London against King Charles, that he had attempted to put this same Lunsford, thought capable of such ferocious proceedings, into the government of the Tower of London.

"this young gentleman is a stranger as well as you, under protection of Sir Henry's hospitality, and it cannot be agreeable for my father to see disputes arise among his guests. You may mistake the young gentleman's quality from his present appearance-this is the Honourable Master Louis Kerneguy, sir, son of my Lord Kilstewers of Kincardineshire, one who has fought for the King, young as he is."

"No dispute shall rise through me, sir-none through me," said Wildrake; "your exposition sufficeth, sir.-Master Louis Girnigo, son of my Lord Kilsteer, in Gringardenshire, I am your humble slave, sir, and drink your health, in token that I honour you, and all true Scots who draw their Andrew Ferraras on the right side, sir."

"I'se beholden to you, and thank you, sir," said the young man, with some haughtiness of manner, which hardly corresponded with his rusticity; " and I wuss your health in a ceevil way."

Most judicious persons would have here dropped the conversation; but it was one of Wildrake's marked peculiarities, that he could never let matters stand when they were well. He continued to plague the shy, proud, and awkward lad with his

observations. "You speak your national dialect pretty strongly, Master Girnigo," said he, "but I think not quite the language of the gallants that I have known among the Scottish cavaliers

-I knew, for example, some of the Gordons, and others of good repute, who always put an ƒ for the wh, as faat for what, fan for when, and the like."

Albert Lee here interposed, and said, that the provinces of Scotland, like those of England, had their different modes of pronunciation.

"You are very right, sir," said Wildrake. "I reckon myself, now, a pretty good speaker of their cursed jargon-no offence, young gentleman; and yet, when I took a turn with some of Montrose's folks, in the South Hielands, as they call their beastly wildernesses, (no offence again,) I chanced to be by myself, and to lose my way, when I said to a shepherd-fellow, making my mouth as wide, and my voice as broad as I could, whore am I ganging till ;-confound me if the fellow could answer me, unless, indeed, he was sulky, as the bumpkins will be now and then to the gentlemen of the sword."

This was familiarly spoken, and though partly

addressed to Albert, was still more directed to his immediate neighbour, the young Scotsman, who seemed, from bashfulness, or some other reason, rather shy of his intimacy. To one or two personal touches from Wildrake's elbow, administered during his last speech, by way of a practical appeal to him in particular, he only answered, Misunderstandings were to be expected when men converse in national deealects."

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Wildrake, now considerably drunker than he ought to have been in civil company, caught up the phrase, and repeated it :-" Misunderstanding, sir-Misunderstanding, sir!-I do not know how I came to construe that, sir; but to judge from the information of these scratches on your honourable visnomy, I should augur that you had been of late at misunderstanding with the cat, sir."

"You are mistaken, then, friend, for it was with the dowg," answered the Scotsman drily, and cast a look towards Albert.

"We had some trouble with the watch dogs in entering so late in the evening," said Albert, in explanation," and this youth had a fall among some rubbish, by which he came by these scratches.