"Weel, the short and the lang o' 't that nicht was, that they gaed
a' to their beds.
"I' the mornin', whan the markis--the yerl, I sud say--an' his
dochter cam doon the stair, the haill menyie (company) was awa.
Never a horse or horse was i' the stable, but the yerl's ain beasts
--no ae hair left ahin' to shaw that they had been there! an' i'
the chaumers allotted to their riders, never a pair o' sheets had
been sleepit in.
"The yerl an my leddy sat doon to brak their fast--no freely i'
the same humour, the twa o' them, as ye may weel believe. Whan they
war aboot half throu', wha sud come stridin' in, some dour an' ill
pleased like, but the prence himsel'! Baith yerl an' leddy startit
up: 'at they sud hae sitten doon till a meal ohn even adverteest
their veesitor that sic was their purpose! They made muckle adu
wi' apologies an' explanations, but the prence aye booed an' booed,
an' said sae little, that they thocht him mortal angert, the whilk
was a great vex to my leddy, ye may be sure. He had a withert like
luik, an' the verra diamonds in 's claes war douf like. A'thegither
he had a brunt oot kin' o' aissy (ashy) leuk.
"At len'th the butler cam in, an' the prence signed till him, an'
he gaed near, an' the prence drew him doon, an' toot mootit in 's
lug--an' his breath, the auld man said, was like the grave: he
hadna had 's mornin', he said, an' tell't him to put the whusky
upo' the table. The butler did as he was tauld, an' set doon the
decanter, an' a glaiss aside it; but the prence bannt him jist
fearfu', an' ordert him to tak awa that playock, and fess a tum'ler.
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