"And why, Caleb?" said his master--"why should the mercy of Heaven
forbid my returning the Lord Keeper's visit?"

"Oh, sir!" replied Caleb--"oh, Mr. Edgar! I am your servant, and it ill
becomes me to speak; but I am an auld servant--have served baith
your father and gudesire, and mind to have seen Lord Randal, your
great-grandfather, but that was when I was a bairn."

"And what of all this, Balderstone?" said the Master; "what can
it possibly have to do with my paying some ordinary civility to a
neighbour."

"Oh, Mr. Edgar,--that is, my lord!" answered the butler, "your ain
conscience tells you it isna for your father's son to be neighbouring
wi' the like o' him; it isna for the credit of the family. An he were
ance come to terms, and to gie ye back your ain, e'en though ye suld
honour his house wi' your alliance, I suldna say na; for the young leddy
is a winsome sweet creature. But keep your ain state wi' them--I ken the
race o' them weel--they will think the mair o' ye."

"Why, now, you go father than I do, Caleb," said the Master, drowning a
certain degree of consciousness in a forced laugh; "you are for marrying
me into a family that you will nto allow me to visit, how this? and you
look as pale as death besides."