bonniest?" said Nanse, in a flattering way;
"I ken, Mansie, you have a good taste."

"Cut not before the cloth," answered I, "gudewife," with a wise shake of
my head. "It'll be time enough, I daresay, to make your choice
to-morrow."

Nanse went out as if her nose had been blooding. I could thole it no
longer; so, buttoning my breeches-knees, I threw my cowl into a corner,
clapped my hat on my head, and away down in full birr to the Duke's gate.

I speired at the porter, if the gentleman with the velveteen breeches and
powdered hair, that was dining with the Duke, had come up the avenue yet?

"Velveteen breeches and powdered hair!" said auld Paul laughing, and
taking the pipe out of his cheek, "whose butler is't that ye're after?"

"Well," said I to him, "I see it all as plain as a pikestaff. He is off
bodily; but may the meat and the drink he has taken off us be like drogs
to his inside; and may the velveteens play crack, and cast the steeks at
every step he takes!" It was no Christian wish; and Paul laughed till he
was like to burst, at my expense. "Gang your ways hame, Mansie," said he
to me, clapping me on the shoulder as if I had been a wean, "and give
over setting traps, for ye see you have catched a Tartar."

This was too much; first to be cheated by a swindling loon, and then made
game of by a flunkie; and, in my desperation, I determined to do some
awful thing.

Nanse followed me in from the door, and asked what news?--I was ower big,
and ower vexed to hear her; so, never letting on, I went to the little
looking-glass on the drawers' head, and set it down on the table. Then I
looked myself in it for a moment, and made a gruesome face. Syne I
pulled out the little drawer, and got the sharping strap, the which I
fastened to my button. Syne I took my razor from the box, and gave it
five or six turns along first one side and then the other, with great
precision. Syne I tried the edge of it along the flat of my hand. Syne
I loosed my neckcloth, and laid it over the back of the chair; and syne I
took out the button of my shirt-neck, and folded it back. Nanse, who
was, all the time, standing behind, looking what I was after, asked me,
"if I was going to shave without hot water?" when I said to her in a
fierce and brave manner, (which was very cruel, considering the way she
was in,) "I'll let you see that presently." The razor looked desperate
sharp; and I never liked the sight of blood; but oh, I was