and　though　her　peep　into　the　kitchen　had　somewhat　heightened　her　complexion；　it　was　no　more　than　a　modest　touch　of　rouge　might　have　done。
  The　provost　was　certainly　proud　of　his　lady；　nay；　some　said　he　was　afraid　of　her；　for　of　the　females　of　the　Redgauntlet　family　there　went　a　rumour；　that；　ally　where　they　would；　there　was　a　grey　mare　as　surely　in　the　stables　of　their　husbands；　as　there　is　a　white　horse　in　Wouvermans'　pictures。　　The　good　dame；　too；　was　supposed　to　have　brought　a　spice　of　politics　into　Mr。　Crosbie's　household　along　with　her；　and　the　provost's　enemies　at　the　council…table　of　the　burgh　used　to　observe　that　he　uttered　there　many　a　bold　harangue　against　the　Pretender；　and　in　favour　of　King　George　and　government；　of　which　he　dared　not　have　pronounced　a　syllable　in　his　own　bedchamber；　and　that；　in　fact；　his　wife's　predominating　influence　had　now　and　then　occasioned　his　acting；　or　forbearing　to　act；　in　a　manner　very　different　from　his　general　professions　of　zeal　for　Revolution　principles。　　If　this　was　in　any　respect　true；　it　was　certain；　on　the　other　hand；　that　Mrs。　Crosbie；　in　all　external　points；　seemed　to　acknowledge　the　'lawful　sway　and　right　supremacy'　of　the　head　of　the　house；　and　if　she　did　not　in　truth　reverence　her　husband；　she　at　least　seemed　to　do　so。
  This　stately　dame　received　Mr。　Maxwell　（a　cousin　of　course）　with　cordiality；　and　Fairford　with　civility；　answering　at　the　same　time　with　respect；　to　the　magisterial　complaints　of　the　provost；　that　dinner　was　just　coming　up。　　'But　since　you　changed　poor　Peter　MacAlpin；　that　used　to　take　care　of　the　town…clock；　my　dear；　it　has　never　gone　well　a　single　day。'
  'Peter　MacAlpin；　my　dear；'　said　the　provost；'　made　himself　too　busy　for　a　person　in　office；　and　drunk　healths　and　so　forth；　which　it　became　no　man　to　drink　or　to　pledge；　far　less　one　that　is　in　point　of　office　a　servant　of　the　public；　I　understand　that　he　lost　the　music　bells　in　Edinburgh；　for　playing　〃Ower　the　Water　to　Charlie；〃　upon　the　tenth　of　June。　　He　is　a　black　sheep；　and　deserves　no　encouragement。'
  'Not　a　bad　tune　though；　after　all；'　said　Summertrees；　and；　turning　to　the　window；　he　half　hummed；　half　whistled；　the　air　in　question；　then　sang　the　last　verse　aloud：
  'Oh　I　loe　weel　my　Charlie's　name；　　　　　Though　some　there　be　that　abhor　him；　　　　But　oh　to　see　the　deil　gang　hame　　　　　Wi'　a'　the　Whigs　before　him！　　　　Over　the　water；　and　over　the　sea；　　　　　And　over　the　water　to　Charlie；　　　　Come　weal；　come　woe；　we'll　gather　and　go；　　　　　And　live　or　die　with　Charlie。'
  Mrs。　Crosbie　smiled　furtively　on　the　laird；　wearing　an　aspect　at　the　same　time　of　deep　submission；　while　the　provost；　not　choosing　to　hear　his　visitor's　ditty；　took　a　turn　through　the　room；　in　unquestioned　dignity　and　independence　of　authority。
  'Aweel；　aweel；　my　dear；'　said　the　lady；　with　a　quiet　smile　of　submission；　'ye　ken　these　matters　best；　and　you　will　do　your　pleasurethey　are　far　above　my　handonly；　I　doubt　if　ever　the　town…clock　will　go　right；　or　your　meals　be　got　up　so　regular　as　I　should　wish；　till　Peter　MacAlpin　gets　his　office　back　again。　　The　body's　auld；　and　can　neither　work　nor　want；　but　he　is　the　only　hand　to　set　a　clock。'
  It　may　be　noticed　in　passing；　that　notwithstanding　this　prediction；　which；　probably；　the　fair　Cassandra　had　the　full　means　of　accomplishing；　it　was　not　till　the　second　council　day　thereafter　that　the　misdemeanours　of　the　Jacobite　clock…keeper　were　passed　over；　and　he　was　once　more　restored　to　his　occupation　of　fixing　the　town's　time；　and　the　provost's　dinner…hour。
  Upon　the　present　occasion　the　dinner　passed　pleasantly　away。　Summertrees　talked　and　jested　with　the　easy　indifference　of　a　man　who　holds　himself　superior　to　his　company。　　He　was　indeed　an　important　person；　as　was　testified　by　his　portly　appearance；　his　hat　laced　with　POINT　D'ESPAGNE；　his　coat　and　waistcoat　once　richly　embroidered；　though　now　almost　threadbare；　the　splendour　of　his　solitaire；　and　laced　ruffles；　though　the　first　was　sorely　creased；　and　the　other　sullied；　not　to　forget　the　length　of　his　silver…hilted　rapier。　　His　wit；　or　rather　humour；　bordered　on　the　sarcastic；　and　intimated　a　discontented　man；　and　although　he　showed　no　displeasure　when　the　provost　attempted　a　repartee；　yet　it　seemed　that　he　permitted　it　upon　mere　sufferance；　as　a　fencing…master；　engaged　with　a　pupil；　will　sometimes　permit　the　tyro　to　hit　him；　solely　by　way　of　encouragement。　　The　laird's　own　jests；　in　the　meanwhile；　were　eminently　successful；　not　only　with　the　provost　and　his　lady；　but　with　the　red…cheeked　and　red…　ribboned　servant…maid　who　waited　at　table；　and　who　could　scarce　perform　her　duty　with　propriety；　so　effectual　were　the　explosions　of　Summertrees。　　Alan　Fairford　alone　was　unmoved　among　all　this　mirth；　which　was　the　less　wonderful；　that；　besides　the　important　subject　which　occupied　his　thoughts；　most　of　the　laird's　good　things　consisted　in　sly　allusions　to　little　parochial　or　family　incidents；　with　which　the　Edinburgh　visitor　was　totally　unacquainted：　　so　that　the　laughter　of　the　party　sounded　in　his　ear　like　the　idle　crackling　of　thorns　under　the　pot；　with　this　difference；　that　they　did　not　accompany　or　second　any　such　useful　operation　as　the　boiling　thereof。
  Fairford　was　glad　when　the　cloth　was　withdrawn；　and　when　Provost　Crosbie　（not　without　some　points　of　advice　from　his　lady　touching　the　precise　mixture　of　the　ingredients）　had　accomplished　the　compounding　of　a　noble　bowl　of　punch；　at　which　the　old　Jacobite's　eyes　seemed　to　glisten；　the　glasses　were　pushed　round　it；　filled；　and　withdrawn　each　by　its　owner；　when　the　provost　emphatically　named　the　toast；　'The　King；'　with　an　important　look　to　Fairford；　which　seemed　to　say；　You　can　have　no　doubt　whom　I　mean；　and　therefore　there　is　no　occasion　to　particularize　the　individual。
  Summertrees　repeated　the　toast；　with　a　sly　wink　to　the　lady；　while　Fairford　drank　his　glass　in　silence。
  'Well；　young　advocate；'　said　the　landed　proprietor；　'I　am　glad　to　see　there　is　some　shame；　if　there　is　little　honesty；　left　in　the　Faculty。　　Some　of　your　black　gowns；　nowadays；　have　as　little　of　the　one　as　of　the　other。'
  'At　least；　sir；'　replied　Mr。　Fairford；　'I　am　so　much　of　a　lawyer　as　not　willingly　to　enter　into　disputes　which　I　am　not　retained　to　supportit　would　be　but　throwing　away　both　time　and　argument。'
  'Come；　come；'　said　the　lady；　'we　will　have　no　argument　in　this　house　about　Whig　or　Torythe　provost　kens　what　he　maun　SAY；　and　I　ken　what　he　should　THINK；　and　for　a'　that　has　come　and　gane　yet；　there　may　be　a　time　coming　when　honest　men　may　say　what　they　think；　whether　they　be　provosts　or　not。'
  'D'ye　hear　that；　provost？'　　said　Summertrees；　'your　wife's　a　witch；　man；　you　should　nail　a　horseshoe　on　your　chamber　doorHa；　ha；　ha！'
  This　sally　did　not　take　quite　so　well　as　former　efforts　of　the　laird's　wit。　　The　lady　drew　up；　and　the　provost　said；　half　aside；　'The　sooth　bourd　is　nae　bourd。　　＇The　true　joke　is　no　joke。＇　　You　will　find　the　horseshoe　hissing　hot；　Summertrees。'
  'You　can　speak　from　experience；　doubtless；　provost；'　answered　the　laird；　'but　I　crave　pardonI　need　not　tell　Mrs。　Crosbie　that　I　have　all　respect　for　the　auld　and　honourable　House　of　Redgauntlet。'
  'And　good　reason　ye　have；　that　are　sae　sib　to　them；'　quoth　the　lady；　'and　kend　weel　baith　them　that　are　here；　and　them　that　are　gane。'
  'In　troth；　and　ye　may　say　sae；　madam；'　answered　the　laird；　'for　poor　Harry　Redgauntlet；　that　suffered　at　Carlisle；　was　hand　and　glove　with　me；　and　yet　we　parted　on　short　leave…taking。'
  'Aye；　Summertrees；'　said　the　provost；　'that　was　when　you　played　Cheat…the…woodie；　and　gat　the　by…name　of　Pate…in…Peril。　　I　wish　you　would　tell　the　story　to　my　young　friend　here。　　He　likes　weel　to　hear　of　a　sharp　trick；　as　most　lawyers　do。'
  'I　wonder　at　your　want　of　circumspection；　provost；'　said　the　laird；much　after　the　manner　of　a　singer　when　declining　to　sing　the　song　that　is　quivering　upon　his　tongue's　very　end。　　'Ye　should　mind　there　are　some　auld　stories　that　cannot　be　ripped　up　again　with　entire　safety　to　all　concerned。　　TACE　is　Latin　for　a　candle；'
  'I　hope；'　said　the　lady；　'you　are　not　afraid　of　anything　being　said　out　of　this　house　to　your　prejudice；　Summertrees？　　I　have　heard　the　story　before；　but　the　oftener　I　hear　it；　the　more　wonderful　I　think　it。'
  'Yes；　madam；　but　it　has　been　now　a　wonder　of　more　than　nine　days；　and　it　is　time　it　should　be　ended；'　answered　Maxwell。
  Fairford　now　thought　it　civil　to　say；　'that　he　had　often　heard　of　Mr。　Maxwell's　wonderful　escape；　and　that　nothing　could　be　more　agreeable　to　him　than　to　hear　the　right　version　of　it。'
  But　Summertrees　was　obdurate；　and　refused　to　take　up　the　time　of　the　company　with　such　'auld…warld　nonsense。'
  'Weel；　weel；'　said　the　provost；　'a　wilful　man　maun　hae　his　way。　What　do　your　folk　in　the　country　think　about　the　disturbances　that　are　beginning　to　spunk　out　in　the　colonies？'
  'Excellent；　sir；　excellent。　　When　things　come　to　the　worst；　they　will　mend；　and　to　the　worst　they　are　coming。　　But　as　to　that　nonsense　ploy　of　mine；　if　ye　insist　on　hearing　the　particulars；'　said　the　laird；　who　began　to　be　sensible　that　the　period　of　telling　his　story　gracefully　was　gliding　fast　away。
  'Nay；'　said　the　provost；　'it　was　not　for　myself；　but　this　young　g