'Na, na; thank God,' answered this doughty partizan, 'I wasna bred at sae
short a tether, I was brought up to hack and manger. I was bred a
horse-couper, sir; and if I might live to see you at Whitson-tryst, or at
Stagshawbank, or the winter fair at Hawick, and ye wanted a spanker that
would lead the field, I'se be caution I would serve ye easy; for Jamie
Jinker was ne'er the lad to impose upon a gentleman. Ye're a gentleman,
sir, and should ken a horse's points; ye see that through--ganging thing
that Balmawhapple's on; I selled her till him. She was bred out of
Lick-the-ladle, that wan the king's plate at Caverton-Edge, by Duke
Hamilton's White-Foot,' etc., etc., etc.
But as Jinker was entered full sail upon the pedigree of Balmawhapple's
mare, having already got as far as great-grandsire and great-grand-dam,
and while Waverley was watching for an opportunity to obtain from him
intelligence of more interest, the noble captain checked his horse until
they came up, and then, without directly appearing to notice Edward, said
sternly to the genealogist, 'I thought, lieutenant, my orders were
preceese, that no one should speak to the prisoner?'
The metamorphosed horse-dealer was silenced of course, and slunk to the
rear, where he consoled himself by entering into a vehement dispute upon
the price of hay with a farmer who had reluctantly followed his laird to
the field rather than give up his farm, whereof the lease had just
expired.
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