"The deil be in me," said Caleb, taking heart in spite of this new
invasion of Philistines, "if they shall beat me yet! The hellicat
ne'er-do-weel! to bring such a crew here, that will expect to find
brandy as plenty as ditch-water, and he kenning sae absolutely the case
in whilk we stand for the present! But I trow, could I get rid of thae
gaping gowks of flunkies that hae won into the courtyard at the back
of their betters, as mony a man gets preferment, I could make a' right
yet."
The measures which he took to execute this dauntless resolution, the
reader shall learn in the next chapter.
CHAPTER X.
With throat unslaked, with black lips baked,
Agape they heard him call;
Gramercy they for joy did grin,
And all at once their breath drew in,
As they had been drinking all!
COLERIDGE'S Rime of the Ancient Mariner.
HAYSTON of Bucklaw was one of the thoughtless class who never hesitate
between their friend and their jest. When it was announced that the
principal persons of the chase had taken their route towards Wolf's
Crag, the huntsmen, as a point of civility, offered to transfer the
venison to that mansion; a proffer which was readily accepted by
Bucklaw, who thought much of the astonishment which their arrival in
full body would occasion poor old Caleb Balderstone, and very little of
the dilemma to which he was about to expose his friend the Master, so
ill circumstanced to receive such a party.
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