on, for fear of being lost in straw) that good
Tom Faggus was at home again, and nearly cured of his dreadful wound;
but intended to go to war no more, only to mind his family. And it
grieved him more than anything he ever could have imagined, that his
duty to his family, and the strong power of his conscience, so totally
forbade him to come up and see after me. For now his design was to lead
a new life, and be in charity with all men. Many better men than he had
been hanged, he saw no cause to doubt; but by the grace of God he hoped
himself to cheat the gallows.

There was no further news of moment in this very clever letter, except
that the price of horses' shoes was gone up again, though already
twopence-farthing each; and that Betty had broken her lover's head with
the stocking full of money; and then in the corner it was written that
the distinguished man of war, and worshipful scholar, Master Bloxham,
was now promoted to take the tolls, and catch all the rebels around our
part.

Lorna was greatly pleased with the goose, and the butter, and the
brandied cherries; and the Earl Brandir himself declared that he never
tasted better than those last, and would beg the young man from the
country to procure him instructions for making them. This nobleman,
being as deaf as a post, and of a very solid mind, could never be
brought to understand the nature of my thoughts towards Lorna. He looked
upon me as an excellent youth, who had rescued the maiden from the
Doones, whom he cordially detested; and learning that I had thrown two
of them out of window (as the story was told him), he patted me on the
back, and declared that his doors would ever be open to me, and that I
could not come too often.

I thought this very kind of his lordship, especially as it enabled me to
see my darling Lorna, not indeed as often as I wished, but at any
rate very frequently, and as many times as modesty (ever my leading
principle) would in common conscience approve of. And I made up my mind
that if ever I could help Earl Brandir, it would be--as we say, when
with brandy and water--the 'proudest moment of my life,' when I could
fulfil the pledge.

And I soon was able to help Lord Brandir, as I think, in two different
ways; first of all as regarded his mind, and then as concerned his body:
and the latter perhaps was the greatest service, at his time of life.
But not to be too nice about that; let me tell how these things were.

Lorna said to m