by the music, and fell into a sound and refreshing sleep, from which he was only awakened at a late hour by old Caxon, who came creeping into the room to render the offices of a valet-dechambre. << I have brushed your coat, sir,» said the old man, when he perceived Lovel was awake, «the callant brought it frae Fairport this morning, for that ye had on yesterday is scantly feasibly dry, though it's been a' night at the kitchen fire-and I hae cleaned your shoon-I doubt ye'll no be wanting me to tie your hair, for a' (with a gentle sigh) the young gentlemen wear crops now-but I hae the curling-tangs here to gie it a bit turn ower the brow, if ye like, before ye gae down to the leddies." Lovel, who was by this time once more on his legs, declined the old man's professional offices, but accompanied the refusal with such a douceur as completely sweetened Caxon's mortification. << It's a pity he disna get his hair tied and pouthered,» said the ancient friseur, when he had. got once more into the kitchen, in which, on one pretence or other, he spent three parts of his idle time—that is to say, of his whole time—« it's a great pity, for he's a comely young gentleman. >> « Hout awa', ye auld gowk,» said Jenny Rintherout, « would ye creesh his bonny brown hair wi' your nasty ulyie, and then moust it like the auld minister's wig?-Ye'll be for your breakfast, I'se warrant?-hae, there's a soup parridge for ye-it will set ye better to be slaistering at them and the lapper-milk than middling wi' Mr Lovel's head-ye wad spoil the maist natural and beautifaest head o' hair in a' Fairport, baith burgh and county." The poor barber sighed over the disrespect into which his art had so universally fallen, but Jenny was a person too important to offend by contradiction; so sitting quietly down in the kitchen, he digested at once his humiliation, and the contents of a bicker which held a Scotch pint of substantial oatmeal porridge. CHAPTER XI. Sometimes he thinks that Heaven this vision sent, WE must now request our readers to adjourn to the breakfast-parlour of Mr Oldbuck, who, despising the modern slops of tea and coffee, was substantially regaling himself, more majorum, with cold roast-beef, and a glass of a sort of beverage called Mum, a species of fat ale, brewed from wheat and bitter herbs, of which the present generation only know the name by its occurrence in revenue acts of parliament, coupled with cyder, perry and other exciseable commodities. Lovel, who was seduced to taste it, with difficulty refrained from pronouncing it detestable, but did refrain, as he saw he should otherwise give great offence to his host, who had the liquor annually prepared with peculiar care, according to the approved recipe bequeathed to him by the so often-mentioned Aldobrand Oldenbuck. The hospitality of the ladies offered Lovel a breakfast more suited to modern taste, and while he was engaged in partaking it, he was assailed by indirect enquiries concerning the manner in which he had passed the night. << We canna compliment Mr Lovel on his looks this morning, brother-but he winna condescend on any ground of disturbance he has had in the night-time--I am certain he looks very pale, and when he came here he was as fresh as a rose."> " Why, sister, consider this rose of yours has been knocked about by sea and wind all yesterday evening as if he had been a bunch of kelp or tangle, and how the devil would you have him retain his colour?» n << I certainly do still feel somewhat fatigued, said Loyel, « notwithstanding the excellent accommodations with which your hospitality supplied me. " Ah, sir!» said Miss Oldbuck, looking at him with a knowing smile, or what was meant to be one, «ye'll not allow of any inconvenience, out of civility to us.» Really, madam, I had no disturbance, for I cannot term such the music with which some kind fairy favoured me.»> << I doubted Mary wad wake you wi' her skreighing; she didna ken I had left open a chink of your window, for, forbye the ghaist, the Green Room doesna vent weel in a high wind-But, I am judging, ye heard mair than Mary's lilts yestreen weel, men are hardy creatures, they can gae through wi' a' thing-I am sure had I been to un dergo ony thing of that nature, that's to say that's beyond nature-I would hae skreigh'd out at once, and raised the house, be the consequence what liket—and, I dare say, the minister wad hae done as mickle, and sae I hae tald him-I ken naebody but my brother, Monkbarns himsel, wad gae through the like o't, if, indeed, it binna you, Mr Lovel." «< A man of Mr Oldbuck's learning, madam, would not be exposed to the inconvenience sustained by the Highland gentleman you mentioned last night." " Aye! aye! ye understand now where the dif ficulty lies-language? he has ways o' his ain wad banish a' thae sort o' worricows as far as the hindermost parts of Gideon, (meaning possibly Midian,) as Mr Blattergowl says-only ane wadna be uncivil to one's forbear though he be a ghaist -I am sure I will try that receipt of yours, brother, that ye showed me in a book, if ony body is to sleep in that room again, though, I think, in Christian charity, ye should rather fit up the matted-room—it's a wee damp and dark, to be sure, but then we hae sae seldom occasion for a spare bed. >> No, no, sister; dampness and darkness are worse than spectres―ours are spirits of light— and I would rather have you try the spell.»> I will do that blythely, Monkbarns, an I had the ingredients, as my cookery-book ca's themThere was vervain and dill-I mind that-Davie |