The worthy scribe turned his spectacled nose towards his patron, and holding in one hand the bunch of papers which he had been just perusing, and in the other the tape with which he was about to tie them up again, suspended that operation to await with open eyes and ears the communication of Mowbray.
"I have done him!" he said, exultingly, yet in a tone of voice lowered almost to a whisper; "capotted his lordship for this bout--doubled my capital, Mick, and something more .-- Hush, don't interrupt me--we must think of Clara now--she must share the sunshine, should it prove but a blink before a storm .-- You know, Mick, these two d----d women, Lady Penelope and the Binks, have settled that they will have something like a _bal pare_ on this occasion, a sort of theatrical exhibition, and that those who like it shall be dressed in character .-- I know their meaning--they think Clara has no dress fit for such foolery, and so they hope to eclipse her; Lady Pen, with her old-fashioned, ill-set diamonds, and my Lady Binks, with the new-fashioned finery which she swopt her character for.

But Clara shan't borne down so, by -- --! I got that affected slut, Lady Binks's maid, to tell me what her mistress had set her mind on, and she is to wear a Grecian habit, forsooth, like one of Will Allan's Eastern subjects .-- But here's the rub--there is only one shawl for sale in Edinburgh that is worth showing off in, and that is at the Gallery of Fashion .-- Now, Mick, my friend, that shawl must be had for Clara, with the other trankums of muslin and lace, and so forth, which you will find marked in the paper there .-- Send instantly and secure it, for, as Lady Binks writes by to-morrow's post, your order can go by to-night's mail--There is a note for L.100." From a mechanical habit of never refusing any thing, Meiklewham readily took the note, but having looked at it through his spectacles, he continued to hold it in his hand as he remonstrated with his patron.--"This is a' very kindly meant, St.Ronan's--very kindly meant; and I wad be the last to say that Miss Clara does not merit respect and kindness at your hand; but I doubt mickle if she wad care a bodle for thae braw things.

Ye ken yoursell, she seldom alters her fashions.

Od, she thinks her riding-habit dress eneugh for ony company; and if you were ganging by good looks, so it is--if she had a thought mair colour, poor dear." "Well, well," said Mowbray, impatiently, "let me alone to reconcile a woman and a fine dress." "To be sure, ye ken best," said the writer; "but, after a', now, wad it no be better to lay by this hundred pound in Tam Turnpenny's, in case the young lady should want it afterhend, just for a sair foot ?" "You are a fool, Mick; what signifies healing a sore foot, when there will be a broken heart in the case ?--No, no--get the things as I desire you--we will blaze them down for one day at least; perhaps it will be the beginning of a proper dash." "Weel, weel, I wish it may be so," answered Meiklewham; "but this young Earl--hae ye found the weak point ?--Can ye get a decerniture against him, with expenses ?--that is the question." "I wish I could answer it," said Mowbray, thoughtfully.--"Confound the fellow--he is a cut above me in rank and in society too--belongs to the great clubs, and is in with the Superlatives and Inaccessibles, and all that sort of folk .-- My training has been a peg lower--but, hang it, there are better dogs bred in the kennel than in the parlour.

I am up to him, I think--at least I will soon know, Mick, whether I am or no, and that is always one comfort.