" I do not know how much sooner Mary Avenel might have sought the
point of observation, if she had not been scared from it by the
unrestrained curiosity expressed by her buxom friend; but at length
the same feeling prevailed over her sense of dignity, and satisfied
with having displayed all the indifference that was necessary in point
of decorum, she no longer thought herself bound to restrain her
curiosity.
From the outshot or projecting window, she could perceive that
Christie of the Clinthill was attended on the present occasion by a
very gay and gallant cavalier, who, from the nobleness of his
countenance and manner, his rich and handsome dress, and the showy
appearance of his horse and furniture, must, she agreed with her new
friend, be a person of some consequence.
Christie also seemed conscious of something, which made him call out
with more than his usual insolence of manner, "What, ho! so ho! the
house! Churl peasants, will no one answer when I call?--Ho!
Martin,--Tibb,--Dame Glendinning--a murrain on you, must we stand
keeping our horses in the cold here, and they steaming with heat, when
we have ridden so sharply?"
At length he was obeyed, and old Martin made his appearance. "Ha!"
said Christie, "art thou there, old Truepenny? here, stable me these
steeds, and see them well bedded, and stretch thine old limbs by
rubbing them down; and see thou quit not the stable till there is not
a turned hair on either of them.
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