he Antiquary, who was something
of a sluggard, was summoned from his bed a full hour earlier than his
custom by Caxon. "What's the matter now?" he exclaimed, yawning and
stretching forth his hand to the huge gold repeater, which, bedded upon
his India silk handkerchief, was laid safe by his pillow--"what's the
matter now, Caxon?--it can't be eight o'clock yet."

"Na, sir,--but my lord's man sought me out, for he fancies me your
honour's valley-de-sham,--and sae I am, there's nae doubt o't, baith your
honour's and the minister's--at least ye hae nae other that I ken
o'--and I gie a help to Sir Arthur too, but that's mair in the way o' my
profession."

"Well, well--never mind that," said the Antiquary--"happy is he that is
his own valley-de-sham, as you call it--But why disturb my morning's
rest?"

"Ou, sir, the great man's been up since peep o' day, and he's steered
the town to get awa an express to fetch his carriage, and it will be
here briefly, and he wad like to see your honour afore he gaes awa."

"Gadso!" ejaculated Oldbuck, "these great men use one's house and time
as if they were their own property. Well, it's once and away. Has Jenny
come to her senses yet, Caxon?"

"Troth, sir, but just middling," replied the barber; "she's been in a
swither about the jocolate this morning, and was like to hae toomed it
a' out into the slap-bason, and drank it hersell in her ecstacies--but
she's won ower wi't, wi' the help o' Miss M'Intyre."

"Then all my womankind are on foot and scrambling, and I must enjoy my
quiet bed no longer, if I would have a well-regulated house--Lend me my
gown. And what are the news at Fairport?"

"Ou, sir, what can they be about but this grand news o' my lord,"
answered the old man, "that hasna been ower the door-stane, they threep
to me, for this twenty years--this grand news of his coming to visit your
honour?"

"Aha!" said Monkbarns; "and what do they say of that, Caxon?"

"'Deed, sir, they hae various opinions. Thae fallows, that are the
democraws, as they ca' them, that are again' the king and the law, and
hairpowder and dressing o' gentlemen's wigs--a wheen blackguards--they
say he's come doun to speak wi' your honour about bringing doun his hill
lads and Highland tenantry to break up the meetings of the Friends o'
the People;--and when I said your honour never meddled wi' the like o'
sic things where there was like to be straiks and bloodshed, they said,
if ye didna, your nevoy did