ngraved upon't and other knacks
My moon-dial, with Napier's bones,
And several constellation Stones;
My flea, my morpeon, and punaise,
I purchased for my proper ease.

And so forth, as old Butler has it."

The young lady, after courtesying to Lovel, had taken the opportunity to
make her escape during this enumeration of losses. "You'll be poisoned
here with the volumes of dust they have raised," continued the
Antiquary; "but I assure you the dust was very ancient, peaceful, quiet
dust, about an hour ago, and would have remained so for a hundred years,
had not these gipsies disturbed it, as they do everything else in the
world."

It was indeed some time before Lovel could, through the thick
atmosphere, perceive in what sort of den his friend had constructed his
retreat. It was a lofty room of middling size, obscurely lighted by high
narrow latticed windows. One end was entirely occupied by book-shelves,
greatly too limited in space for the number of volumes placed upon them,
which were, therefore, drawn up in ranks of two or three files deep,
while numberless others littered the floor and the tables, amid a chaos
of maps, engraving, scraps of parchment, bundles of papers, pieces of
old armour, swords, dirks, helmets, and Highland targets. Behind Mr.
Oldbuck's seat (which was an ancient leathern-covered easy-chair, worn
smooth by constant use) was a huge oaken cabinet, decorated at each
corner with Dutch cherubs, having their little duck-wings displayed, and
great jolter-headed visages placed between them. The top of this cabinet
was covered with busts, and Roman lamps and paterae, intermingled
with one or two bronze figures. The walls of the apartment were partly
clothed with grim old tapestry, representing the memorable story of Sir
Gawaine's wedding, in which full justice was done to the ugliness of the
Lothely Lady; although, to judge from his own looks, the gentle knight
had less reason to be disgusted with the match on account of disparity
of outward favour, than the romancer has given us to understand. The
rest of the room was panelled, or wainscotted, with black oak, against
which hung two or three portraits in armour, being characters in
Scottish history, favourites of Mr. Oldbuck, and as many in tie-wigs
and laced coats, staring representatives of his own ancestors. A large
old-fashioned oaken table was covered with a profusion