Grace sprung back a half-yard at least. He was
pleased to threaten to brain me with a chicken-bone, as he disdainfully
expressed it; but the King said, 'George, you have but a Rowland for
an Oliver.' And so I tripped on, showing a bold heedlessness of
his displeasure, which few dared to have done at that time, albeit
countenanced to the utmost like me by the smiles of the brave and
the fair. But, well-a-day! sir, youth, its fashions, its follies, its
frolics, and all its pomp and pride, are as idle and transitory as the
crackling of thorns under a pot."

"The flower that is cast into the oven were a better simile," thought
Peveril. "Good God, that a man should live to regret not being young
enough to be still treated as baked meat, and served up in a pie!"

His companion, whose tongue had for many days been as closely imprisoned
as his person, seemed resolved to indemnify his loquacity, by continuing
to indulge it on the present occasion at his companion's expense. He
proceeded, therefore, in a solemn tone, to moralise on the adventure
which he had narrated.

"Young men will no doubt think one to be envied," he said, "who was
thus enabled to be the darling and admiration of the Court"--(Julian
internally stood self-exculpated from the suspicion)--"and yet it is
better to possess fewer means of distinction, and remain free from the
backbiting, the slander, and the odium, which are always the share
of Court favour. Men who had no other cause, cast reflections upon me
because my size varied somewhat from the common proportion; and jests
were sometimes unthinkingly passed upon me by those I was bound to, who
did not in that case, peradventure, sufficiently consider that the wren
is made by the same hand which formed the bustard, and that the diamond,
though small in size, out-values ten thousand-fold the rude granite.
Nevertheless, they proceeded in the vein of humour; and as I could not
in duty or gratitude retort upon nobles and princes, I was compelled
to cast about in my mind how to vindicate my honour towards those,
who, being in the same rank with myself, as servants and courtiers,
nevertheless bore themselves towards me as if they were of a superior
class in the rank of honour, as well as in the accidental circumstance
of stature. And as a lesson to my own pride, and that of others, it
so happened, that the pageant which I have but just narrated--which I
justly reckon the most honourable moment of my life, excepti