o long upon my coat of arms, but for some good reason? And this good
reason is that Lorna took the greatest pride in it, and thought (or at
any rate said) that it quite threw into the shade, and eclipsed, all her
own ancient glories. And half in fun, and half in earnest, she called
me "Sir John" so continually, that at last I was almost angry with
her; until her eyes were bedewed with tears; and then I was angry with
myself.

Beginning to be short of money, and growing anxious about the farm,
longing also to show myself and my noble escutcheon to mother, I
took advantage of Lady Lorna's interest with the Queen, to obtain my
acquittance and full discharge from even nominal custody. It had been
intended to keep me in waiting, until the return of Lord Jeffreys, from
that awful circuit of shambles, through which his name is still used by
mothers to frighten their children into bed. And right glad was
I--for even London shrank with horror at the news--to escape a man
so bloodthirsty, savage, and even to his friends (among whom I was
reckoned) malignant.

Earl Brandir was greatly pleased with me, not only for having saved his
life, but for saving that which he valued more, the wealth laid by for
Lord Alan. And he introduced me to many great people, who quite kindly
encouraged me, and promised to help me in every way when they heard how
the King had spoken. As for the furrier, he could never have enough of
my society; and this worthy man, praying my commendation, demanded of me
one thing only--to speak of him as I found him. As I had found him many
a Sunday, furbishing up old furs for new, with a glaze to conceal the
moths' ravages, I begged him to reconsider the point, and not to demand
such accuracy. He said, "Well, well; all trades had tricks, especially
the trick of business; and I must take him--if I were his true
friend--according to his own description." This I was glad enough to do;
because it saved so much trouble, and I had no money to spend with him.
But still he requested the use of my name; and I begged him to do the
best with it, as I never had kept a banker. And the "John Ridd cuffs,"
and the "Sir John mantles," and the "Holly-staff capes," he put into
his window, as the winter was coming on, ay and sold (for everybody was
burning with gossip about me), must have made this good man's fortune;
since the excess of price over value is the true test of success in
life.

To come away from all this stuff, which gri