Her voice, therefore, sunk from the elevated tone of maternal
authority into a whimpering apologetic sort of strain, and she
proceeded to say, "It is no that I have ony ill thoughts of the Border
riders, for Tibb Tacket there has often heard me say that I thought
spear and bridle as natural to a Borderman as a pen to a priest, or a
feather-fan to a lady; and--have you not heard me say it, Tibb?"
Tibb showed something less than her expected alacrity in attesting her
mistress's deep respect for the freebooters of the southland hills;
but, thus conjured, did at length reply, "Hout ay, mistress, I'se
warrant I have heard you say something like that."
"Mother!" said Halbert, in a firm and commanding tone of voice, "what
or whom is it that you fear under my father's roof?--I well hope that
it harbours not a guest in whose presence you are afraid to say your
pleasure to me or my brother? I am sorry I have been detained so late,
being ignorant of the fair company which I should encounter on my
return.--I pray you let this excuse suffice: and what satisfies you,
will, I trust, be nothing less than acceptable to your guests."
An answer calculated so jistly betwixt the submission due to his
parent, and the natural feeling of dignity in one who was by birth
master of the mansion, excited universal satisfaction. And as Elspeth
herself confessed to Tibb on the same evening, "She did not think it
had been in the callant.
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