United States or Afghanistan ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
But Ursula was luxurious and genial in her habits, and could no more have endured the stinted economy of Benjamin's board, than she could have reconciled herself to the bald chat of his conversation. It was on the evening of the day on which Lord Nigel Olifaunt dined with the wealthy goldsmith, that we must introduce Ursula Suddlechop upon the stage.
Albion, or the Double Kings. It is seldom that a day of pleasure, upon review, seems altogether so exquisite as the partaker of the festivity may have felt it while passing over him. Nigel Olifaunt, at least, did not feel it so, and it required a visit from his new acquaintance, Lord Dalgarno, to reconcile him entirely to himself.
"To what purpose, if she be a spirit?" said Nigel Olifaunt. "How can I tell your lordship?" answered his attendant. "I thank God I know nothing of her likings, or mislikings only her coffin is there; and I leave your lordship to guess what a live person has to do with a coffin. As little as a ghost with a lantern, I trow."
Olifaunt, however, had not only other matters to think of, but would have regarded such an intrigue, had the idea ever occurred to him, as an abominable and ungrateful encroachment upon the laws of hospitality, his religion having been by his late father formed upon the strict principles of the national faith, and his morality upon those of the nicest honour.
Why, I tell you, if this paper, the loss of which seems to sit so light on you, be not found, farewell to the fair lordship of Glenvarloch firth and forest lea and furrow lake and stream all that has been in the house of Olifaunt since the days of William the Lion!" "Farewell to them, then," said Nigel, "and that moan is soon made."
Meantime Stirling castle continued to be defended by a slender garrison, and, deprived of all hopes of relief, continued to make a desperate defence, under its brave governor, Sir William Olifaunt, until famine and despair compelled him to an unconditional surrender, when the King imposed the harshest terms on this handful of brave men.
The next morning found Nigel Olifaunt, the young Lord of Glenvarloch, seated, sad and solitary, in his little apartment, in the mansion of John Christie, the ship-chandler; which that honest tradesman, in gratitude perhaps to the profession from which he derived his chief support, appeared to have constructed as nearly as possible upon the plan of a ship's cabin.
"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.
"You will allow her to be a good spirit at least," said Nigel Olifaunt, "since she chooses such a time to visit her friends?"
"How say ye, man how say ye?" exclaimed the king, impatiently; "the carle of a Conservator, the son of a Low-Dutch skipper, evict the auld estate and lordship of the house of Olifaunt? God's bread, man, that maun not be we maun suspend the diligence by writ of favour, or otherwise."
Word Of The Day