d plenipotentiary on the part of her
daughter and husband, and Mother Blenkensop, equally unaccredited, doing
me the honour to be my representative. You may suppose I was a little
astonished when I found that a treaty, in which I was so considerably
interested, had advanced a good way before I was even consulted."

"Capot me! if I think that was according to the rules of the game," said
his confidant; "and pray, what answer did you return?"

"Why, my first thought was to send the treaty to the devil, and the
negotiators along with it, for a couple of meddling old women; my next
was to laugh very hearily; and my third and last was a settled opinion
that the thing was reasonable, and would suit me well enough."

"Why, I thought you had never seen the wench but once, and then she had
her riding-mask on; I am sure you told me so."

"Ay, but I liked her very well then. And Ravenswood's dirty usage of
me--shutting me out of doors to dine with the lackeys, because he
had the Lord Keeper, forsooth, and his daughter, to be guests in his
beggarly castle of starvation,--d--n me, Craigengelt, if I ever forgive
him till I play him as good a trick!"

"No more you should, if you are a lad of mettle," said Craigengelt, the
matter now taking a turn in which he could sympathise; "and if you carry
this wench from him, it will break his heart."

"That it will not," said Bucklaw; "his heart is all steeled over with
reason and philosophy, things that you, Craigie, know nothing about
more than myself, God help me. But it will break his pride, though, and
that's what I'm driving at."

"Distance me!" said Craigengelt, "but I know the reason now of his
unmannerly behaviour at his old tumble-down tower yonder. Ashamed of
your company?--no, no! Gad, he was afraid you would cut in and carry off
the girl."

"Eh! Craigengelt?" said Bucklaw, "do you really think so? but no, no!
he is a devilish deal prettier man than I am." "Who--he?" exclaimed the
parasite. "He's as black as the crook; and for his size--he's a tall
fellow, to be sure, but give me a light, stout, middle-sized----"

"Plague on thee!" said Bucklaw, interrupting him, "and on me for
listening to you! You would say as much if I were hunch-backed. But as
to Ravenswood--he has kept no terms with me, I'll keep none with him; if
I CAN win this girl from him, I WILL win her."

"Win her! 'sblood, you SHALL win her, point, quint, and quatorze, my
king of trumps; you shall pique, repiqu