‘Why, this, cousin,’ said Archie: ‘that the King is out of all hand the morn. I went to his door betimes and listened for him, but could hear nothing forby the snivelling of his boy, therefore made so bold as to open. There I found the minion Forrest crying his heart out over the bed, and could hear our kinsman within howling blasphemy in English.’
‘Pooh, man, ’tis his way of a morning,’ said Morton, heartening himself. ‘What did you then?’
Archie screwed his lips to the whistle, and cocked one eyebrow at the expense of the other.
‘What did I? I did the foolishest thing of all my days, when I sent in my name by the boy. Strutting moorcock, call me, that hadna seen him all the day before! Oh, cousin Morton, out comes our King like a blustering gale o’ March, and takes me by the twa lugs, and wrenches at me thereby, and shakes me to and fro as if I were a sieve for seeds. “Ye black-hearted, poisonous beast!” he roars; “ye damned, nest-fouling chick of a drab and a preacher!” says he—ah, and worse nor that, cousin, if I could lay my tongue to sic filthy conversation. “I’ll teach ye,” says he thunderous, “I’ll teach ye to play your games with your King!” He was fumbling for his dagger the while, and would have stabbed me through and through but for them that stood by and got him off me. Cousin, I fairly ran.’
The Earl looked sternly at him. ‘Tell me the truth, you Archie. What devil’s trick had you played upon him?’
He looked so blankly, swore so earnestly, Nothing, upon his honour, that he had to be believed.
‘Well then,’ said Morton, ‘what may this betide?’
‘Woe can tell your lordship! Little good to you and me belike.’
Lord Morton said, ‘I doubt he’ll play us false. I doubt the knave was working the courage into him.’