"In the cask, sir," replied the girl. 'Ou ay, ou ay," rejoined the provost, now somewhat more enlightened on the subject. "Aweel, aweel, in Gude's name bring it ony way ye like, lassie-ony way ye like; but bring't fast, for I'm as dry's a whustle. I'm just gaizenin'." A mutual understanding having been come to on this important matter, the desiderated beverage was produced, and in due time discussed, when the provost bethought him of ordering some supper for himself and his man-they still continuing and intending to occupy the same premises-and for this purpose rang the bell. It was answered by the same girl who had conducted the porter discussion. On her appearance, "We want a bit chack o' supper, my dear-a bit chack o' supper, a bit chack o' supper," said the pro vost. The girl appeared at a loss. She had made out supper" distinctly enough, but enough, but 'bit chack o'" puzzled her sadly; and, thinking it expressed some distinguishing quality of the supper wanted, she aimed at getting a translation by saying, Chacko, sir? chacko? I don't know what that means. We have nothing of that kind in the house, sir, but we have great variety of other excellent dishes. We have roast lamb, veal pie, roast beef, roast mutton, roast fowls and salmon, but no chacko, sir." "Tuts, tuts, lassie! tuts, tuts!" said the provost, laughing, and now seeing how the land lay. "I see ye dinna unnerstand oor Scotch way o' speakin'. We want, in plain English, just a bit supper-just a bit supper." "Oh!" replied the girl, blushing and smiling at once; "just so, sir. Well, what should you like to have, sir?" "Ou, just a bit salmon-just a bit salmon, my dear-or ony bit thing o' that kind," replied the provost. The girl made a slight courtesy and retired, but in a minute afterward returned and said, "My master, sir, has desired me to say that, as you are from Scotland, you are not perhaps aware of the price of salmon in London, and may be under a mistake about it." "And what is the price o' salmon in Lunnun, my dear? What is the price o't? what is the price o't?" said the provost. "Three guineas a pound, sir," replied the girl. Both the provost and his man held up their hands in mute astonishment at the astounding enormity of the price. At length, "Three guineas the pun'!" came the provost out with when he got breath to express himself. "Three guineas the pun'!" repeated Johnny Yuill, in the same tone of overwhelming surprise. "Gude preserve us! Was the like o' that ever heard tell o'? Saumont three guineas the pun'! That's nearly wecht for wecht. Goold against fish. It's awfu'. Lassie, whan we left Starvieston, saumont was just a groat the pun' o' twenty-two uncesjust a groat the pun'; and ye micht a got ten cartload o't at that. I wish to guidness. I had brocht twa or three o' them slung at my back. I could hae dune't fine." Here the provost interfered, saying that, since salmon was out of the question at that price, they would "just tak' a bit caul juck." The girl gave the old look of non-com prehension at the mysterious word "juck." | king more distinctly ascertained. Something, Johnny saw her difficulty, knew its cause and hastened to explain: "It's a cauld duke the provost means, lassie—a cauld duke; but an' ye haena that, the breast o' a bubbly-jock or ony ither fule 'ill do just as weel." indeed, had been suggested to the council about his calling on the earl of Linlithgow, but, as the suggestion had been made in a desultory way in the course of conversation, nothing definite had been said on the subject. The matter was altogether a strange oversight, but so it was. On the earl of Linlithgow, however, the provost had determined to call; he resolved on making it his first step. They found the earl from home-a great disappointmentbut they resolved instantly upon going to the king direct. Their direction now was St. James's, and, having inquired their way, they very shortly found themselves at the principal entrance into that ancient abode of royalty, and were about to pass through the We need not say that Johnny Yuill's attempt to explain made matters not a whit better, nor that the proffered alternatives with which he followed it up were just as unintelligible as anything that had preceded them. It was, in truth, the longer the worse, the farther in the deeper; and the girl, finding it so, resigned all hope of making anything of the orders of the travellers and ran down stairs for her master. The landlord of the Lion and Unicorn immediately appeared, and, being more accustomed to the lingo of Northgate without any ceremony, when their progBritain than his maid, at once made out what was wanted and gave his guests every satisfaction in the matter of supplying their wants. Both the provost, however, and his man, had made a discovery. This was that the language current at Starvieston was not so in London, and the fact a good deal surprised them and a good deal lessened their opinion of the English nation, and of the people of the metropolis in particular. On the following morning the provost prepared to commence the serious business of his visit to the capital, but here was a great difficulty at the outset. He did not know very well where to begin or how to set about it. He had started with very vague and indefinite notions on this subject, and it was only now that he discovered that he ought to have had his course after he should have arrived in London more clearly defined and the process by which he was to obtain access to the ress was suddenly arrested by a sentinel, who, placing his carbine across the provost's breast, demanded their business. "Private business wi' the king-private business wi' the king. I'm provost o' Starvieston-I'm provost o' Starvieston," said that worthy personage. "I wadna redd ye to interrupt us, lad," added Johnny; "we're on business o' importance frae the town o' Starvieston, an' he's its chief magistrate," pointing to the provost; "so it'll be at your peril if ye refuse us admittance." The soldier, rather respectfully impressed with the big words employed by Johnny"business of importance, town's business, chief magistrate," etc.-after some hesitation allowed them to pass into the quadrangle of the palace, into which the gate they had entered opened. This was so far good, but it was not much, after all, for they did not know what hand to turn to. They were surrounded with doors and windows, and were greatly at a loss which of the former they should take; and in this difficulty they continued for fully half an hour, sauntering about and staring up from time to time at the windows of the quadrangle, when a sudden stir began to manifest itself about a certain broad staircase that opened on the side opposite the outer entrance. Military guards and other persons strangely but gorgeously attired took up formal positions at the foot of the said staircase, and it became crowded with powdered lackeys in splendid liveries running up and down with looks full of bustle and importance. In a short while thereafter carriages and other conveyances of various kinds filled with ladies and gentlemen superbly dressed began to arrive in great numbers and in rapid succession. These, as they arrived, drew up at the foot of the staircase alluded to, which the persons by whom they were occupied im mediately ascended on being set down. It was evident to both the provost and Johnny Yuill that there was something going on here of no ordinary character, and they were very curious to know what it could be; but, seeing nobody of whom they could make the inquiry, they were obliged to be content for some time merely to look on and wonder. At length Johnny espied a person at some little distance whose appearance altogether indicated his being a menial and of such rank as he might take the liberty of speaking to. Under these impressions, Johnny made up to him, having previously apprised his master of his intentions and desired him to remain where he was till he returned. "What's a' this collyshangy aboot, friend?" The man looked unutterable things at Johnny's ignorance, but had the civility to explain that it was the king seeing company. "And is the king up there?" said Johnny, pointing to the great staircase. "To be sure he is," was the reply. This was enough for Johnny. He and his master were now all right, for he knew where they ought to go; and it was with a glad face that he returned to the former to tell him of the happy discovery. "I've fand out whar he's noo, provost," said Johnny, smiling, as he approached the latter. "He's up there," pointing to the stair, "an' we couldna, hae come in a better time, for he's seein' company, at ony rate, so that we'll no put him to ony inconvenience." "That's fine-that's fine, Johnny," replied the provost, not less pleased than his man with their unexpected good luck. Then we'll just go up wi' the lave-just go up wi' the lave, Johnny;" and, saying this, they proceeded toward the great staircase, and were about to enter it with perfect confidence and deliberation, when their progress was again suddenly arrested, but in this instance by half a dozen in place of one. the provost and his man spoke at once on the occasion of this interruption, and endeavored to gain admittance by the same statements Both they had made before, but it would not do: their obstructors would by no means allow them to proceed. The provost, manfully seconded by Johnny, insisted on getting in; the guards insisted they should not. Johnny's choler was excited. "What!" he said; "wad ye refuse admittance to the provost o' Starvieston, the chief magistrate o' ane o' the maist ancientest bruchs in Scotland? My faith, ye're no blate! But we'll go in spite o' them," continued Johnny, and was shoving the provost before him. This was a violence not to be endured, and it was not it was met by equally strong measures. Both the provost and Johnny were instantly collared. Johnny began to strike, the provost to kick, for he felt highly offended, too, at this treatment and forgot his dignity in his irritation. But their opponents could strike and kick also, and they did so. These were again returned in kind by Johnny and his master, until the whole affair waxed into a regular hubbub, which was enlivened by Johnny's calling out every now and then in the midst of the struggle: "Stick up to them, provost stick up to them! Dinna let Starvieston be beat yet! That's it, provost-that's it! Gie them't i' the pit o' the stamak." Johnny in this particular alluded to the weapons his master was using in the combat, which were his feet and little short legs, which he was plying with great vigor and activity. The odds, however, were so greatly against the strangers that it was impossible the struggle could be of long continuance. Neither was it. Both the provost and Johnny were floored in a twinkling, and there held down, each by four or five persons, incapable of further resistance. It was at this moment-that is, while the chief magistrate of Starvieston was lying on the breadth of his back with his clothes and linens grievously torn and soiled and half a dozen of his enemies upon him-that a person pressed into the crowd by which he was surrounded and asked what was the matter. "It's two fellows, My Lord, who would force their force their way up stairs whether we would or not," replied one of the guards. "Who are they?" said the noble inquirer. "We don't know, My Lord, but from the tongue we take them to be from Scotland." "Ah! from Scotland!" said the titled stranger, with increased interest; and he now stretched over the crowd to obtain a view of the prostrate personage whom they surrounded. This proceeding procured him a peep of the degraded provost's countenance, which, on obtaining, "I should know that face," he muttered; "I have surely seen it before. Stand about and let me have a closer view of the man, and allow him, in the mean time, to rise to his feet." Both these orders were obeyed, and the provost instantly regained his perpendicular. On his doing so, "Have you ever seen me before, think you, friend?" said the provost's emancipator. "I think I have seen you somewhere.' The provost looked earnestly at the inquirer for a second or two, and said, although with some hesitation, "Indeed, I'm no sure, sir-I'm no sure; but I think ye hae some resemblance, if my recollection serves me onything faithfully, to the earl o' Linlithgow." "Right, friend, right," replied the earl; The earl, now understanding what his worthy friend would be at, immediately proceeded to the rescue of Johnny, and, having effected this service, rejoined the provost, when the whole three adjourned to a retired part of the quadrangle, where the provost fully informed the earl of all circumstances connected with his visit to the metropolis. When he had concluded, the earl at once undertook to render him every service in his power toward enabling him to discharge the duties on which he came. "I will procure you the presentation you desire, provost," said the earl, "but you must appear in a court-dress. You could not be admitted to the presence of the sovereign in your present attire, even although the guards at the bottom of the staircase had passed you, which, however, they neither could nor dare do. It would be out of all rule. A court-dress you must have." "A court-dress, My Lord? a court-dress— a court-dress? What's that?" inquired the provost. "So it would appear," said the earl. "But come along, provost, and tell me all about it;" and he took the provost's arm and would have led him out of the crowd, but the latter quietly resisted, saying, "My Lord, My Lord, ye maun relieve Johnny first-ye maun relieve puir Johnny-puir Johnny, wha's still in the hands o' the Philistines." "Who's Johnny, provost ?" said the earl, if you will do me the favor to call at my in some surprise. "My tailor will explain to you, provost, if you will do him the honor to consult him," replied the earl, smiling. "But I will manage all that for you, too, provost, house to-morrow forenoon. In the mean time, I must leave you, to attend the levee;" and, having said this and again shaken the provost by the hand, with a repetition of his injunction that he should call upon him in the forenoon of the following day, the earl walked away, but had not proceeded far, when he was pursued and overtaken by the provost and his man together. |