be ridden,' and fearing to make any further objections, I
let them inscribe it in bronze upon blue. The heralds thought that the
King would pay for this noble achievement; but His Majesty, although
graciously pleased with their ingenuity, declined in the most decided
manner to pay a farthing towards it; and as I had now no money left, the
heralds became as blue as azure, and as red as gules; until Her Majesty
the Queen came forward very kindly, and said that if His Majesty gave
me a coat of arms, I was not to pay for it; therefore she herself did so
quite handsomely, and felt goodwill towards me in consequence.

Now being in a hurry--so far at least as it is in my nature to hurry--to
get to the end of this narrative, is it likely that I would have dwelled
so long upon my coat of arms, but for some good reason? And this good
reason is that Lorna took the greatest pride in it, and thought (or at
any rate said) that it quite threw into the shade, and eclipsed, all her
own ancient glories. And half in fun, and half in earnest, she called
me 'Sir John' so continually, that at last I was almost angry with
her; until her eyes were bedewed with tears; and then I was angry with
myself.

Beginning to be short of money, and growing anxious about the farm,
longing also to show myself and my noble escutcheon to mother, I
took advantage of Lady Lorna's interest with the Queen, to obtain my
acquittance and full discharge from even nominal custody. It had been
intended to keep me in waiting, until the return of Lord Jeffreys, from
that awful circuit of shambles, through which his name is still used by
mothers to frighten their children into bed. And right glad was
I--for even London shrank with horror at the news--to escape a man
so bloodthirsty, savage, and even to his friends (among whom I was
reckoned) malignant.

Earl Brandir was greatly pleased with me, not only for having saved his
life, but for saving that which he valued more, the wealth laid by for
Lord Alan. And he introduced me to many great people, who quite kindly
encouraged me, and promised to help me in every way when they heard how
the King had spoken. As for the furrier, he could never have enough of
my society; and this worthy man, praying my commendation, demanded of me
one thing only--to speak of him as I found him. As I had found him many
a Sunday, furbishing up old furs for new, with a glaze to conceal the
moths' ravages, I begged him to reconsider the point, an