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CHAPTER IX.

La vertù est si necessaire à nos cœurs, que quand on a une fois abandonné la veritable, on s'en fait une à sa mode, et l'on y tient plus fortement peut-être parcequ'elle est de notre choix. J. J. ROUSSEAU.

THE charitable shades of night threw a veil over the more glaring defects of the mansion, and left it to the good natured imagination of the stranger to supply all deficiencies, yet it had no very flattering exterior. It seemed to consist of & plain and very low centre, hardly high enough for one story, but appearing, from its double row of small windows, to be divided into two. On each side was a lower wing, running out to the front at right angles, dedicated to a variety of domestic purposes.

Lochandhu lifted the latch. "Take care of your head, Mr Oakenwold," exclaimed he as Amherst was entering. But the caution came too

late, for, not having made due allowance for the lowness of the door, he struck himself a severe blow on the forehead, and at the same time slipped down an unseen step inwards, so that he staggered into the passage like a drunk man.

"Preserve me! if he binna bringin' hame some o' thae fu' fouk, to put the house a' in a steer!" exclaimed Mrs Macgillivray, a shrewd, acute, bustling little woman, who, in a dirty dark-printed gown, and a high cap, came hurrying from an adjacent room.

"Mrs Macgillivray," said Lochandhu, "pray, bring a light with you.-I am afraid, Mr Oakenwold, you have hurt yourself."

Amherst having assured him that he had suffered nothing, received his assistance in taking off his cloak, which was hung up on a deer's horn, amongst the numerous hats, plaids, bonnets, and sticks, covering the wooden partition.

When Mrs Macgillivray came with the light, Lochandhu formally introduced Amherst to her, as his most particular friend, and, above all, as the son of that gallant sea-officer to whom, as she had often heard him tell, he had owed the preservation of his life when abroad. He concluded

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by saying, that he had prevailed upon Mr Oakenwold to honour his poor mansion with a visit, and he trusted she would assist him in doing all in his power to manifest to the son, how deeply sensible he was of the obligation he owed to the father: TJ36 And, therefore, my good woman, to beginTM will you set Mary to work immediately, to cook something hot for supper, and see that clean sheets are put upon the stranger's bed, and a fire in the room ?"

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Mrs Magillivray stared at her husband for an instant, but, making her obeisance to Amherst, and stammering out something about the happiness she felt in seeing him as their guest, all the while smoothing her gown, and pinning her handkerchief, and applying the points of her fingers to Hier head-dress, with a consciousness of the want bof proper arrangement in her drapery, she sidled

out of the room.

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083 She had no sooner left them, than she was heard issuing hasty and pointed directions to a female servant. These were the death warrant to a pair of unfortunate fowls, at that moment reposing in fancied security, with their heads under their

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wings, on the uppermost perch of the poultry-house, in the midst of their feathered associates. The remorseless maiden stole upon them like Macbeth, to "murder sleep the innocent sleep.",

But she was by no means particular in the selection of her victims; for, climbing up to the place where the harmless society were reposing, Ashe groped about, and seized upon the first brace she could lay her hands upon, and brought them struggling down, screeching in such a manner, that the slumbers of the whole flock were rudely broken, and a general fluttering and clamouring took place.

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Deil be in ye!" said she to one of those she had captured, "ye'll no do, for ye're the auld [cock ;" and, in her pet, she tossed the grandsire of this nation of pullets to the farther end of the place, and began a new attack upon them. But the garrison having been now alarmed, the second prisoner was by no means so easily taken, and beofore it was secured, the noise and cackling was so excessive, as almost to drown the conversation of the two gentlemen in the parlour,

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Mary at last bore away two captives in triumph, and in a very few minutes they were split open, and lying like spread eagles broiling on the grid

iron over the fire. Meanwhile Mrs Macgillivray was endeavouring, (to use her own words) to mak hersell a wee decent," after which, she ap peared as the prologue to the supper, dressed out in a silk gown, and in other respects equally magnificent.

The industrious Mary, who performed the parts of cook, footwoman, butler, and chambermaid, had no sooner prepared the supper, than, hastening to the dark hole of a garret she could call her own, she dressed herself, pretty much in the same at-random manner in which she had caught the fowls, and again hurrying down, she flew into the parlour, laid a fine linen cloth on the oaken table, and, with great celerity, spread out a parcel of broken horn-handled knives and forks, and a few plates, some of them chipped, and others cracked. Then, stumping away upon bare heels through the pas sage, she soon reappeared with the broiled fowls, and a smoking dish of fried ham and eggs, flank. ed by some oaten and bear meal cakes, and half s ewe-milk cheese, together with a bottle of brandy, and a large pewter jug of excellent claret. Amherst, though pressed by Lochandhu, was not inclined to drink, and after about an hour's conversa

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