« The devil you do! Why, you old fool,. it was here before you were born, and will be after you are hanged, man!» Hanged or drowned, here or awa, dead or alive, I mind the bigging o't.» «You-you » said the Antiquary, stammering between confusion and anger, « you strolling vagabond, what the devil do you know about it?» Why I ken this anent it, Monkbarns, and what profit have I for telling ye a lie—I just ken this about it, that about twenty years syne, I, and a wheen hallenshakers like mysell, and the mason lads that built the lang dyke that gaes down the loaning, and twa or three herds maybe, just set to wark, and built this bit thing here that ye ca' the-the-Prætorian, and a' just for a bield at auld Aiken Drum's bridal, and a bit blithe gaedown we had in't, some sair rainy weather. Mair by token, Monkbarns; if ye howk up the bourock, as ye seem to have begun, ye'll find, if ye have not found it already, a stane that ane o' the mason-callants cut a ladle on to have a bourd at the bridegroom, and he put four letters on't, that's A. D. L. L.-Aiken Drum's Lang Ladlefor Aiken was ane o' the kale-suppers o' Fife.» << This, thought Lovel to himself, «< is a famous counterpart to the story of Keip on this syde.» He then ventured to steal a glance at our Antiquary, but quickly withdrew it in sheer compassion. For, gentle Reader, if thou hast ever beheld the visage of a damsel of sixteen, whose romance of true love has been blown up by an untimely discovery, or of a child of ten years, whose castle of cards has been blown down by a malicious companion, I can safely aver to you, that Jonathan Oldbuck of Monkbarns looked neither more wise nor less disconcerted. « There is some mistake about this," he said, abruptly turning away from the mendicant. << De'il a bit on my side o' the wa',» answered the sturdy beggar, « I never deal in mistakes, they aye bring mischances. Now, Monkbarns, that young gentleman, that's wi' your honour, thinks little of a carle like me, and yet, I'll wager, I'll tell him whar he was yestreen at the gloamin, only he maybe wadna like to hae't spoken o' in company." Lovel's soul rushed to his cheeks with the vivid blush of two-and-twenty. «Never mind the old rogue," said Mr Oldbuck, « don't suppose I think the worse of you for your profession; they are only prejudiced fools and coxcombs that do so. You remember what old Tully says in his oration, pro Archia poeta, concerning one of your confraternity-Quis nostrum tam animo agresti ac duro fuit-ut-ut—I forget the Latin-the meaning is, which of us was so rude and barbarous as to remain unmoved at the death of the great Roscius, whose advanced age was so far from preparing us for his death, that we rather hoped one so graceful, so excellent in his art,.ought to be exempted from the com mon lot of mortality. So the Prince of Orators spoke of the stage and its professors.» The words of the old man fell upon Lovel's ears, but without conveying any precise idea to his mind, which was then occupied in thinking by what means the old beggar, who still conti nued to regard him with a countenance provokingly sly and intelligent, had contrived to thrust himself into any knowledge of his affairs. He put his hand in his pocket as the readiest mode. of intimating his desire of secrecy, and securing the concurrence of the person whom he addressed; and while he bestowed him an alms, the amount of which rather bore proportion to his fears than to his charity, looked at him with a marked expression, which the mendicant, a physiognomist by profession, seemed perfectly to understand. «Never mind me, sir-I am no tale-pyet; but there are mair een in the world than mine,» answered he, as he pocketed Lovel's bounty, but in a tone to be heard by him alone, and with an expression which amply filled up what was left unspoken. Then turning to Oldbuck— « I am awa' to the manse, your honour. Has your honour ony word there, or to Sir Arthur, for I'll come in by Knockwinnock Castle again e'en.>> Oldbuck started as from a dream; and in a hurried tone, where vexation strove with a wish to conceal it, paying, at the same time, a tribute to Edie's smooth, greasy, unlined hat, he said, « Go " down-go down to Monkbarns—let them give you some dinner- or stay, if do you go to the Manse, or to Knockwinnock, ye need say nothing about that foolish story of yours." « Who, I?-Lord bless your honour, naebody shall ken a word about it frae me, mair than if the bit bourock had been there since Noah's flood. But, Lord, they tell me your honour has gi'en Johnnie Howie acre for acre of the laigh crofts for this heathery knowe! Now if he has really imposed the bourock on ye for an ancient wark, it's my real opinion the bargain will never haud gude, if ye would just bring down your heart to try it at the law, and say that he beguiled ye." Provoking scoundrel!» muttered the indig nant Antiquary between his teeth, « I'll have the hangman's lash and his back acquainted for this,>> and then in a louder tone mind, Edie-it is all a mistake.»> « Never « Troth, I am thinking sae,» continued his tormentor, who seemed to have pleasure in rubbing the galled wound,—« troth, I aye thought sae; and it's no sae lang since I said to Luckie Gemmels, 'Never think you, Luckie,' said I, 'that his honour, Monkbarns, would hae done sic a daftlike thing, as to gie grund weel worth fifty shillings an acre, for a mailing that would be dear o' a pund Scots. Na, na,' quo' I, 'depend upon't the laird's been imposed upon wi' that wily dolittle devil, Johnnie Howie.' 'But Lord haud a care of us, sirs, how can that be,' quo' she again, 'when the Laird's sae book-learn'd, there's nu the like o' him in the country side, and Johnnie Howie has hardly sense aneugh to ca' the cows out of his kale-yard?' Aweel, aweel,' quo' I, 'but ye'll hear he's circumvented him with some o' his auld-warld stories'-for ye ken, laird, yon other time about the bodle, that ye thought was an auld coin» << Go to the devil,» said Oldbuck; and then in a more mild tone, as one that was conscious his reputation lay at the mercy of his antagonist, he added-« Away with you down to Monkbarns, and when I come back, I'll send ye a bottle of ale to the kitchen.» «Heaven reward your honour!»> This was uttered with the true mendicant whine, as, setting his pike-staff before him, he began to move in the direction of Monkbarns-« But did your honour,»> turning round, « ever get back the siller ye gae to the travelling packman for the bodle?» << Curse thee! go about thy business ! » « Aweel, aweel, sir, God bless your honour! -I hope ye'll ding Johnnie Howie yet, and I'll live to see it." And so saying, the old beggar moved off, relieving Mr Oldbuck of recollections which were any thing rather than agreeable. « Who is this familiar old gentleman?» said Lovel, when the mendicant was out of hearing. I « O, one of the plagues of the country, have been always against poors' rates and a work-house-I think I'll vote for them now to |