greatly under her usual tone, it was not a less pleasant engagement which deprived them of the pleasure of Mr. Lovel's company. "No engagement had intervened," he assured her, "it was only the return of a complaint by which he had been for some time occasionally attacked." "The best remedy in such a case is prudence, and I-every friend of Mr. Lovel's, will expect him to employ it." Lovel bowed low, and coloured deeply, and Miss Wardour, as if she felt that she had said too much, turned and got into the carriage. Lovel had next to part with Oldbuck, who, during this interval, had, with Caxon's assistance, been arranging his disordered periwig, and brushing his coat, which exhibited some marks of the rude path they had traversed. "What, man!" said Oldbuck, "you are not going to leave us on account of that foolish Hector's indiscreet curiosity and vehemence?-Why, he is a thoughtless boy-a petted child from the time he was in the nurse's arms -he threw his coral and bells at my head for refusing him a bit of sugar-And you have too much sense to mind such a shrewish boy-aquam servare mentem is the motto of our friend Horace. I'll school Hector by and by, and put it all to rights." But Lovel persisted in his design of returning to Fairport. The Antiquary then assumed a graver tone. "Take heed, young man, to your present feelings. Your life has been given you for useful and valuable purposes, and should be reserved to illustrate the literature of your country, when you are not called upon to expose it in her defence, or in the rescue of the innocent. Private war, a practice unknown to the civilized ancients, is, of all the absurdities introduced by the Gothic tribes, the most gross, impious, and cruel. Let me hear no more of these absurd qurrrels, and I will show you the treatise upon the duello, which I composed when the town-clerk and provost Mucklewhame chose to assume the privileges of gentlemen, and challenged each other. I thought of printing my Essay, which is signed Pacificator, but there was no need, as the matter was taken up by the town council of the borough." "But I assure you, my dear sir, there is nothing between Captain M'Intyre and me that can render such respectable interference necessary.' "See it be so, for otherwise I will stand second to both parties." So saying, the old gentleman got into the chaise, close to which Miss M'Intyre had detained her brother upon the same principle that the owner of a quarrelsome dog keeps him by his side to prevent his fastening upon another. But Hector contrived to give her precaution the slip, for, as he was on horseback, he lingered behind the carriages until they had fairly turned the corner in the road to Knockwinnock, and then wheeling his horse's head round, gave him the spur in the opposite direction. A very few minutes brought him up with Lovel, who, perhaps, anticipating his intention, had not put his horse beyond a slow walk, when the clatter of hoofs behind him announced Captain M'Intyre. The young soldier, his natural heat of temper exasperated by the rapidity of motion, reined his horse up suddenly and violently by Lovel's side, and, touching his hat slightly, inquired, in a very haughty tone of voice, "What am I to understand, sir, by your telling me that your address was at my service?" "Simply, sir, that my name is Lovel, and that my residence is, for the present, Fairport, as you will see by this card." "And this is all the information you are disposed to give me ?" "I see no right you have to require more." "I find you, sir, in company with my sister, and I have a right to know who is admitted to Miss M'Intyre's society.' "I shall take the liberty of disputing that right-you find me in society who are satisfied with the degree of information on my affairs which I have thought proper to communicate, and you, a mere stranger, have no right to inquire further." "Mr. Lovel, if you served, as you say you have❞— "If!" answered Lovel-" If I have served as I say I have?" "Yes, sir, such is my expression if you have so served, you must know that you owe me satisfaction either in one way or other." "If that be your opinion I will be proud to give it to you, Captain M'Intyre, in the way in which the word is generally used among gentlemen." "Very well, sir," rejoined Hector, and, turning his horse round, galloped off to overtake his party. His absence had already alarmed them, and his sister having stopped the carriage, had her neck stretched out of the window to see where he was. "What is the matter with you now?" said the Antiquary, "riding to and fro as your neck were upon the wager-why do you not keep up with the carriage ?": "I forgot my glove, sir," said Hector. "Forgot your glove!-I presume you meant to say you went to throw it down-but I will take order with you, my young gentleman-you shall return with me this night to Monkbarns." So saying, he bid the postillion go on. 217 CHAPTER XX. If you fail Honour here, Never presume to serve her any more; EARLY the next morning, a gentleman came to wait upon Mr. Lovel, who was up and ready to receive him. He was a military gentleman, a friend of Captain M'Intyre's, at present in Fairport on the recruiting service. Lovel and he were slightly known to each other. presume, sir," said Mr. Lesley, (such was the name of the visiter,)" that you guess the occasion of my troubling you so early?” I "A message from Captain M'Intyre, I presume?" "The same he holds himself injured by the manner in which you declined yesterday to answer certain inquiries which he conceived himself entitled to make respecting a gentleman whom he found in intimate society with his family." "May I ask if you, Mr. Lesley, would have inclined to satisfy interrogatories so haughtily and unceremoniously put to you?" "Perhaps not; and, therefore, as I know the warmth of my friend M'Intyre on such occasions, I feel very desirous of acting as peacemaker. From Mr. Lovel's very gentleman-like manners, every one must strongly wish to see him repel all that sort of dubious calumny which will attach itself to one whose situation is not fully explained. If he will permit me, in friendly conciliation, to inform Captain MIntyre of his real name, for we are led to conclude that of Lovel is assumed" VOL. I. 19 "I beg your pardon, sir, but I cannot admit that inference." "O, at least," said Lesley, proceeding, "that it is not the name by which Mr. Lovel has been at all times distinguished-if Mr. Lovel will have the goodness to explain this circumstance, which, in my opinion, he should do in justice to his own character, I will answer for the amicable arrangement of this unpleasant business." "Which is to say, Mr. Lesley, that if I shall condescend to answer questions which no man has a right to ask, and which are now put to me under penalty of Captain M'Intyre's resentment, Captain M'Intyre will condescend to rest satisfied? Mr. Lesley, I have just one word to say on this subject-I have no doubt my secret, if I had one, might be safely intrusted to your honour, but I do not feel called upon to satisfy the curiosity of any one. Captain M'Intyre met me in society which, of itself, was a warrant to all the world, and particularly ought to be such to him, that I was a gentleman. He has, in my opinion, no right to go any farther, or to inquire the pedigree, rank, or circumstances of a stranger, who, without seeking any intimate connection with him or his, chances to dine with his uncle, or walk in company with his sister." "In that case, Captain M'Intyre requests you to be informed, that your farther visits at Monkbarns, and all connection with Miss M'Intyre, must be dropt, as disagreeable to him." "I shall certainly," said Lovel, "visit Mr. Oldbuck when it suits me, without paying the least respect to his nephew's threats or irritable feelings. I respect the young lady's name too much (though nothing can be slighter than our acquaintance) to introduce it into such a discussion." "In that case, Captain M'Intyre requests that Mr. Lovel, unless he wishes to be announced as a very du bious character, will favour him with a meeting this |