There was jist a de'il's dizzen o' them an whaurever
ye began to count them, the thirteent had aye a reid baird.
"Whan the news was taen to the markis--the yerl, I sud say--
he gae orders to lat them in at ance; for whatever fau'ts he had,
naither fear nor hainin' (penuriousness) was amang them. Sae in
they cam, clatterin' ower the drawbrig, 'at gaed up an' down aneth
them as gien it wad hae cast them.
"Richt fremt (strange) fowk they luikit whan they cam intill the
coortyaird--a' spanglet wi' bonny bricht stanes o' a' colours.
They war like nae fowk 'at ever the yerl had seen, an' he had been
to Jeroozlem in 's day, an' had fouchten wi' the Saracenes. But
they war coorteous men an' weel bred--an' maistly weel faured tu
--ilk ane luikin' a lord's son at the least. They had na a single
servin' man wi' them, an' wad alloo nane o' the fowk aboot the place
to lay han' upo' their beasts; an' ilk ane as he said na, wad gie
the stallion aneth him a daig wi' 's spurs, or a kick 'i the ribs,
gien he was aff o' 's back, wi' the steel tae o' his bute; an' the
brute wad lay his lugs i' the how o' 's neck, an' turn his heid
asklent, wi' ae white ee gleyin' oot o' 't, an' lift a hin' leg wi'
the glintin' shue turnt back, an' luik like Sawtan himsel' whan he
daurna.
"Weel, my lord an' my leddy war sittin' i' the muckle ha', for
they cudna gang to their beds in sic a byous storm, whan him 'at
was the chief o' them was ushered in by the seneschal, that's the
steward, like, booin' afore him, an' ca'in' him the Prence, an' nae
mair, for he cudna min' the name o' 's place lang eneuch to say 't
ower again.
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