The principal persons being thus in high good humour with each other,
all business gave place to the hilarity of the morning repast; and so
much did Sir Piercie appear gratified by the attention which was paid
to every word that he uttered by the nut-brown Mysie, that,
notwithstanding his high birth and distinguished quality, he bestowed
on her some of the more ordinary and second-rate tropes of his
elocution.
Mary Avenel, when relieved from the awkwardness of feeling the full
weight of his conversation addressed to herself, enjoyed it much more;
and the good knight, encouraged by those conciliating marks of
approbation from the sex, for whose sake he cultivated his oratorical
talents, made speedy intimation of his purpose to be more
communicative than he had shown himself in his conversation with
Halbert Glendinning, and gave them to understand, that it was in
consequence of some pressing danger that he was at present their
involuntary guest.
The conclusion of the breakfast was a signal for the separation of the
company. The Miller went to prepare for his departure; his daughter to
arrange matters for her unexpected stay; Edward was summoned to
consultation by Martin concerning some agricultural matter, in which
Halbert could not be brought to interest himself; the dame left the
room upon her household concerns, and Mary was in the act of following
her, when she suddenly recollected, that if she did so, the strange
knight and Halbert must be left alone together, at the risk of another
quarrel.
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