But when they arrived at Luckie Macleary's the Lairds of
Balmawhapple and Killancureit declared their determination to acknowledge
their sense of the hospitality of Tully-Veolan by partaking, with their
entertainer and his guest Captain Waverley, what they technically called
deoch an doruis, a stirrup-cup, [Footnote 2: See Note 10] to the honour
of the Baron's roof-tree.
It must be noticed that the Bailie, knowing by experience that the day's
jovialty, which had been hitherto sustained at the expense of his patron,
might terminate partly at his own, had mounted his spavined grey pony,
and, between gaiety of heart and alarm for being hooked into a reckoning,
spurred him into a hobbling canter (a trot was out of the question), and
had already cleared the village. The others entered the change-house,
leading Edward in unresisting submission; for his landlord whispered him,
that to demur to such an overture would be construed into a high
misdemeanour against the leges conviviales, or regulations of genial
compotation. Widow Macleary seemed to have expected this visit, as well
she might, for it was the usual consummation of merry bouts, not only at
Tully-Veolan, but at most other gentlemen's houses in Scotland, Sixty
Years Since.
Pages:
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250