on as ony other
thing."

"Well, then, Mistress Alison," said Morton, "I really am sorry to have
kept you up waiting till I came in."

"And now that you are come in, Mr Henry," said the cross old woman, "what
for do you no tak up your candle and gang to your bed? and mind ye dinna
let the candle sweal as ye gang alang the wainscot parlour, and haud a'
the house scouring to get out the grease again."

"But, Alison, I really must have something to eat, and a draught of ale,
before I go to bed."

"Eat?--and ale, Mr Henry?--My certie, ye're ill to serve! Do ye think we
havena heard o' your grand popinjay wark yonder, and how ye bleezed away
as muckle pouther as wad hae shot a' the wild-fowl that we'll want atween
and Candlemas--and then ganging majoring to the piper's Howff wi' a' the
idle loons in the country, and sitting there birling, at your poor
uncle's cost, nae doubt, wi' a' the scaff and raff o' the water-side,
till sun-down, and then coming hame and crying for ale, as if ye were
maister and mair!"

Extremely vexed, yet anxious, on account of his guest, to procure
refreshments if possible, Morton suppressed his resentment, and
good-humouredly assured Mrs Wilson, that he was really both hungry and
thirsty; "and as for the shooting at the popinjay, I have heard you say
you have been there yourself, Mrs Wilson--I wish you had come to look at
us."

"Ah, Maister Henry," said the old dame, "I wish ye binna beginning to
learn the way of blawing in a woman's lug wi' a' your whilly-wha's!--
Aweel, sae ye dinna practise them but on auld wives like me, the less
matter. But tak heed o' the young queans, lad.--Popinjay--ye think
yoursell a braw fellow enow; and troth!" (surveying him with the candle,)
"there's nae fault to find wi' the outside, if the inside be conforming.
But I mind, when I was a gilpy of a lassock, seeing the Duke, that was
him that lost his head at London--folk said it wasna a very gude ane, but
it was aye a sair loss to him, puir gentleman--Aweel, he wan the
popinjay, for few cared to win it ower his Grace's head--weel, he had a
comely presence, and when a' the gentles mounted to show their capers,
his Grace was as near to me as I am to you; and he said to me, 'Tak tent
o' yoursell, my bonny lassie, (these were his very words,) for my horse
is not very chancy.'--And now, as ye say ye had sae little to eat or
drink, I'll let you see that I havena been sae unmindfu' o' you; for I
dinna think it's safe f