"
"Why, then, you must ride two hundred miles for me," said the patron.
"A thousand, and call them a flea's leap," answered the dependant; "I'll
cause saddle my horse directly."
"Better stay till you know where you are to go, and what you are to
do," quoth Bucklaw. "You know I have a kinswoman in Northumberland, Lady
Blenkensop by name, whose old acquaintance I had the misfortune to lose
in the period of my poverty, but the light of whose countenance shone
forth upon me when the sun of my prosperity began to arise."
"D--n all such double-faced jades!" exclaimed Craigengelt, heroically;
"this I will say for John Craigengelt, that he is his friend's friend
through good report and bad report, poverty and riches; and you know
something of that yourself, Bucklaw."
"I have not forgot your merits," said his patron; "I do remember that,
in my extremities, you had a mind to CRIMP me for the service of the
French king, or of the Pretender; and, moreover, that you afterwards
lent me a score of pieces, when, as I firmly believe, you had heard the
news that old Lady Girnington had a touch of the dead palsy.
Pages:
378
379
380
381
382
383
384
385
386
387
388
389
390
391
392
393
394
395
396
397
398
399
400
401
402