So, leaving Nan with him, I went forth with Sir Andrew to
seek for fresh lodgings. I need not tell how we tramped about the
streets, and asked at many doors, before we could find any abode that
would receive us. There were indeed lodgings left vacant by the
gentlemen who had attended the King to Scotland, but perforce, so
many scores had been left unpaid that there was great reluctance to
receive any cavalier family, and the more high-sounding the name, the
less trust there was in it. Nothing but paying down a month
beforehand sufficed to obtain accommodation for us in a house
belonging to a portly widow, and even there Nan and I would have to
eat with the family (and so would my brother if he were well enough),
and only two bedrooms and one sitting-room could be allotted to us.
However, these were large and airy; the hangings, beds, and linen
spotless; the floors and tables shining like mirrors; the windows
clean, sunny, and bright; so we were content, and had our mails
deposited there at once, though we could not attempt to move my
brother so late in the day.
Indeed, I found him so entirely spent and exhausted by his
conversation with Annora, that I would not let him say any more that
night, but left him to the charge of Tryphena, who would not hear of
leaving him, and was very angry with Mistress Nan, who, she said, in
her English speech, would talk a horse's head off when once she
began.
Pages:
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334