Great
men are as jealous of their thoughts as the wife of King Candaules was
of her charms, and will as readily punish those who have, however
involuntarily, beheld them in mental deshabille and exposure.
"Leave the apartment, Hyndman," said the Regent, sternly, "and carry
your observation elsewhere. You are too knowing, sir, for your post,
which, by special order, is destined for men of blunter capacity. So!
now you look more like a fool than you did,"--(for Hyndman, as may
easily be supposed, was not a little disconcerted by this
rebuke)--"keep that confused stare, and it may keep your office.
Begone, sir!"
The usher departed in dismay, not forgetting to register, amongst his
other causes of dislike to Roland Graeme, that he had been the witness
of this disgraceful chiding. When he had left the apartment, the
Regent again addressed the page.
"Your name, you say, is Armstrong?"
"No," replied Roland, "my name is Graeme, so please you--Roland
Graeme, whose forbears were designated of Heathergill, in the
Debateable Land."
"Ay, I knew it was a name from the Debateable Land. Hast thou any
acquaintance in Edinburgh?"
"My lord," replied Roland, willing rather to evade this question than
to answer it directly, for the prudence of being silent with respect
to Lord Seyton's adventure immediately struck him, "I have been in
Edinburgh scarce an hour, and that for the first time in my life."
"What! and thou Sir Halbert Glendinning's page?" said the Regent.
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