The Fortunes of Nigel. Вальтер Скотт

serves my master, may weel serve ony ane else.”

      “Pages lie to their masters by right of custom,” said the citizen; “and you write yourself in that band, though I think you be among the oldest of such springalds; but to me you must speak truth, if you would not have it end in the whipping-post.”

      “And that’s e’en a bad resting-place,” said the well-grown page; “so come away with your questions, Master George.”

      “Well, then,” demanded the citizen, “I am given to understand that you yesterday presented to his Majesty’s hand a Supplication, or petition, from this honourable lord, your master.”

      “Troth, there’s nae gainsaying that, sir,” replied Moniplies; “there were enow to see it besides me.”

      “And you pretend that his Majesty flung it from him with contempt?” said the citizen. “Take heed, for I have means of knowing the truth; and you were better up to the neck in the Nor-Loch, which you like so well, than tell a leasing where his Majesty’s name is concerned.”

      “There is nae occasion for leasing-making about the matter,” answered Moniplies, firmly; “his Majesty e’en flung it frae him as if it had dirtied his fingers.”

      “You hear, sir,” said Olifaunt, addressing Heriot.

      “Hush!” said the sagacious citizen; “this fellow is not ill named – he has more plies than one in his cloak. Stay, fellow,” for Moniplies, muttering somewhat about finishing his breakfast, was beginning to shamble towards the door, “answer me this farther question – When you gave your master’s petition to his Majesty, gave you nothing with it?”

      “Ou, what should I give wi’ it, ye ken, Master George?”

      “That is what I desire and insist to know,” replied his interrogator.

      “Weel, then – I am not free to say, that maybe I might not just slip into the king’s hand a wee bit Sifflication of mine ain, along with my lord’s – just to save his Majesty trouble – and that he might consider them baith at ance.”

      “A supplication of your own, you varlet!” said his master.

      “Ou dear, ay, my lord,” said Richie – “puir bodies hae their bits of sifflications as weel as their betters.”

      “And pray, what might your worshipful petition import?” said Master Heriot. – “Nay, for Heaven’s sake, my lord, keep your patience, or we shall never learn the truth of this strange matter. – Speak out, sirrah, and I will stand your friend with my lord.”

      “It’s a lang story to tell – but the upshot is, that it’s a scrape of an auld accompt due to my father’s yestate by her Majesty the king’s maist gracious mother, when she lived in the Castle, and had sundry providings and furnishings forth of our booth, whilk nae doubt was an honour to my father to supply, and whilk, doubtless, it will be a credit to his Majesty to satisfy, as it will be grit convenience to me to receive the saam.”

      “What string of impertinence is this?” said his master.

      “Every word as true as e’er John Knox spoke,” said Richie; “here’s the bit double of the Sifflication.”

      Master George took a crumpled paper from the fellow’s hand, and said, muttering betwixt his teeth – “‘Humbly showeth – um – um – his Majesty’s maist gracious mother – um – um – justly addebted and owing the sum of fifteen merks – the compt whereof followeth – Twelve nowte’s feet for jellies – ane lamb, being Christmas – ane roasted capin in grease for the privy chalmer, when my Lord of Bothwell suppit with her Grace.’ – I think, my lord, you can hardly be surprised that the king gave this petition a brisk reception; and I conclude, Master Page, that you took care to present your own Supplication before your master’s?”

      “Troth did I not,” answered Moniplies. “I thought to have given my lord’s first, as was reason gude; and besides that, it wad have redd the gate for my ain little bill. But what wi’ the dirdum an’ confusion, an’ the loupin here and there of the skeigh brute of a horse, I believe I crammed them baith into his hand cheek-by-jowl, and maybe my ain was bunemost; and say there was aught wrang, I am sure I had a’ the fright and a’ the risk – ”

      “And shall have all the beating, you rascal knave,” said Nigel; “am I to be insulted and dishonoured by your pragmatical insolence, in blending your base concerns with mine?”

      “Nay, nay, nay, my lord,” said the good-humoured citizen, interposing, “I have been the means of bringing the fellow’s blunder to light – allow me interest enough with your lordship to be bail for his bones. You have cause to be angry, but still I think the knave mistook more out of conceit than of purpose; and I judge you will have the better service of him another time, if you overlook this fault – Get you gone, sirrah – I’ll make your peace.”

      “Na, na,” said Moniplies, keeping his ground firmly, “if he likes to strike a lad that has followed him for pure love, for I think there has been little servant’s fee between us, a’ the way frae Scotland, just let my lord be doing, and see the credit he will get by it – and I would rather (mony thanks to you though, Master George) stand by a lick of his baton, than it suld e’er be said a stranger came between us.”

      “Go, then,” said his master, “and get out of my sight.”

      “Aweel I wot that is sune done,” said Moniplies, retiring slowly; “I did not come without I had been ca’d for – and I wad have been away half an hour since with my gude will, only Maister George keepit me to answer his interrogation, forsooth, and that has made a’ this stir.”

      And so he made his grumbling exit, with the tone much rather of one who has sustained an injury, than who has done wrong.

      “There never was a man so plagued as I am with a malapert knave! – The fellow is shrewd, and I have found him faithful – I believe he loves me, too, and he has given proofs of it – but then he is so uplifted in his own conceit, so self-willed, and so self-opinioned, that he seems to become the master and I the man; and whatever blunder he commits, he is sure to make as loud complaints, as if the whole error lay with me, and in no degree with himself.”

      “Cherish him, and maintain him, nevertheless,” said the citizen; “for believe my grey hairs, that affection and fidelity are now rarer qualities in a servitor, than when the world was younger. Yet, trust him, my good lord, with no commission above his birth or breeding, for you see yourself how it may chance to fall.”

      “It is but too evident, Master Heriot,” said the young nobleman; “and I am sorry I have done injustice to my sovereign, and your master. But I am, like a true Scotsman, wise behind hand – the mistake has happened – my Supplication has been refused, and my only resource is to employ the rest of my means to carry Moniplies and myself to some counter-scarp, and die in the battle-front like my ancestors.”

      “It were better to live and serve your country like your noble father, my lord,” replied Master George. “Nay, nay, never look down or shake your head – the king has not refused your Supplication, for he has not seen it – you ask but justice, and that his place obliges him to give to his subjects – ay, my lord, and I will say that his natural temper doth in this hold bias with his duty.”

      “I were well pleased to think so, and yet – ” said Nigel Olifaunt, – “I speak not of my own wrongs, but my country hath many that are unredressed.”

      “My lord,” said Master Heriot, “I speak of my royal master, not only with the respect due from a subject – the gratitude to be paid by a favoured servant, but also with the frankness of a free and loyal Scotsman. The king is himself well disposed to hold the scales of justice even; but there are those around him who can throw without detection their own selfish wishes and base interests into the scale. You are already a sufferer by this, and without your knowing it.”

      “I am surprised, Master Heriot,” said the young lord, “to hear you, upon so short an acquaintance, talk as if you were familiarly acquainted with my affairs.”

      “My