could have been
anticipated. In making the necessary arrangements, Mysie had indeed
enjoyed the assistance of a gossip who had arrived from the village upon
an exploratory expedition, but had been arrested by Caleb, and impressed
into the domestic drudgery of the evening; so that, instead of returning
home to describe the dress and person of the grand young lady, she found
herself compelled to be active in the domestic economy of Wolf's Crag.

According to the custom of the time, the Master of Ravenswood attended
the Lord Keeper to his apartment, followed by Caleb, who placed on the
table, with all the ceremonials due to torches of wax, two rudely-framed
tallow-candles, such as in those days were only used by the peasantry,
hooped in paltry clasps of wire, which served for candlesticks. He then
disappeared, and presently entered with two earthen flagons (the china,
he said, had been little used since my lady's time), one filled with
canary wine, the other with brandy. The canary sack, unheeding all
probabilities of detection, he declared had been twenty years in the
cellars of Wolf's Crag, "though it was not for him to speak before their
honours; the brandy--it was weel-kenn'd liquor, as mild as mead and as
strong as Sampson; it had been in the house ever since the memorable
revel, in which auld Micklestob had been slain at the head of the stair
by Jamie of Jenklebrae, on account of the honour of the worshipful Lady
Muirend, wha was in some sort an ally of the family; natheless----"

"But to cut that matter short, Mr. Caleb," said the Keeper, "perhaps you
will favour me with a ewer of water."

"God forbid your lordship should drink water in this family," replied
Caleb, "to the disgrace of so honourable an house!"

"Nevertheless, if his lordship have a fancy," said the Master, smiling,
"I think you might indulge him; for, if I mistake not, there has been
water drank here at no distant date, and with good relish too."

"To be sure, if his lordship has a fancy," said Caleb; and re-entering
with a jug of pure element--"He will scarce find such water onywhere as
is drawn frae the well at Wolf's Crag; nevertheless----"

"Nevertheless, we must leave the Lord Keeper to his repose in this
poor chamber of ours," said the Master of Ravenswood, interrupting
his talkative domestic, who immediately turning to the doorway, with
a profound reverence, prepared to usher his master from the secret
chamber.

But the Lord Keeper prev