airford himself remembered
Father Buonaventure, and made little question but that he was one of
the sons of the old Chevalier de Saint George; and with feelings which,
although contradictory of his public duty, can hardly be much censured,
his heart recoiled from being the agent by whom the last scion of such
a long line of Scottish princes should be rooted up. He then thought
of obtaining an audience, if possible, of this devoted person, and
explaining to him the utter hopelessness of his undertaking, which he
judged it likely that the ardour of his partisans might have concealed
from him. But he relinquished this design as soon as formed. He had no
doubt, that any light which he could throw on the state of the country,
would come too late to be serviceable to one who was always reported to
have his own full share of the hereditary obstinacy which had cost his
ancestors so dear, and who, in drawing the sword, must have thrown from
him the scabbard.

Lilias suggested the advice which, of all others, seemed most suited
to the occasion, that, yielding, namely, to the circumstances of their
situation, they should watch carefully when Darsie should obtain any
degree of freedom, and endeavour to open a communication with him, in
which case their joint flight might be effected, and without endangering
the safety of any one.

Their youthful deliberation had nearly fixed in this point, when
Fairford, who was listening to the low sweet whispering tones of Lilias
Redgauntlet, rendered yet more interesting by some slight touch of
foreign accent, was startled by a heavy hand which descended with full
weight on his shoulder, while the discordant voice of Peter Peebles, who
had at length broke loose from the well-meaning Quaker, exclaimed in the
ear of his truant counsel--'Aha, lad! I think ye are catched--An' so ye
are turned chamber-counsel, are ye? And ye have drawn up wi' clients
in scarfs and hoods? But bide a wee, billie, and see if I dinna sort ye
when my petition and complaint comes to be discussed, with or without
answers, under certification.'

Alan Fairford had never more difficulty in his life to subdue a first
emotion, than he had to refrain from knocking down the crazy blockhead
who had broken in upon him at such a moment. But the length of Peter's
address gave him time, fortunately perhaps for both parties, to reflect
on the extreme irregularity of such a proceeding. He stood silent,
however, with vexation, while Pe