“Monsieur, you have lost your only chance of being a laird of Scotland,—a not inconsiderable honor. Do you not know the good old song?” Whereupon she sang, in a thrilling, sweet voice:
“When, bankrupt frae care,
The fools are set free,
Then we mak’ them all lairds
Of the Abbey, you see.”
The crowd then, quite wild with admiration for her beauty and spirit, shouted wildly for “Stair’s bonny lassie;” until Lady Betty, redder than the rose, flew back into the courtyard and up the stairs to her own room. The people then dispersed, well pleased with their evening’s entertainment, and guying the bailiffs, who went away sheepishly enough, followed by the multitude hooting and “heckling” them.
Next day the town rang with De Bourmont’s adventure and Lady Betty Stair’s share in it. It was rather embarrassing for De Bourmont, but Counsellor Mackenzie, hearing of it, came to the palace, and after ha-ha-ing over it plentifully with De Bourmont, cried:—
“Now, let me see the bills of those rascally tradesmen, who know not how to treat a stranger and a gentleman that has fallen upon evil days.”
De Bourmont produced his bills, which the counsellor examined. Every now and then a great roar of anger would burst from him, and finally he rose, shouting: “Thieves! cut-throats! highwaymen they are! You have been most cruelly swindled, Monsieur de Bourmont, and I will make these villains abate their overcharges; and I ask the honor of advancing you the money to pay what you owe, and you may return it when you like.”
“Sir,” replied De Bourmont, “I have spent my lifetime with kings and princes, but never saw I a more royal heart and soul than yours. And I accept of your generosity as gladly as you offer it.”