"Come, come, Mr. Ebenezer," said the lawyer, "you must not be

down-hearted, for I promise you we shall make easy terms. In the

meanwhile give us the cellar key, and Torrance shall draw us a bottle

of your father's wine in honour of the event." Then, turning to me and

taking me by the hand, "Mr. David," says he, "I wish you all joy in your

good fortune, which I believe to be deserved." And then to Alan, with

a spice of drollery, "Mr. Thomson, I pay you my compliment; it was

most artfully conducted; but in one point you somewhat outran my

comprehension. Do I understand your name to be James? or Charles? or is

it George, perhaps?"

"And why should it be any of the three, sir?" quoth Alan, drawing

himself up, like one who smelt an offence.

"Only, sir, that you mentioned a king's name," replied Rankeillor; "and

as there has never yet been a King Thomson, or his fame at least has

never come my way, I judged you must refer to that you had in baptism."

This was just the stab that Alan would feel keenest, and I am free to

confess he took it very ill. Not a word would he answer, but stepped off

to the far end of the kitchen, and sat down and sulked; and it was not

till I stepped after him, and gave him my hand, and thanked him by title

as the chief spring of my success, that he began to smile a bit, and was

at last prevailed upon to join our party.

By that time we had the fire lighted, and a bottle of wine uncorked; a

good supper came out of the basket, to which Torrance and I and Alan

set ourselves down; while the lawyer and my uncle passed into the next

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