“You would act becomingly in every other case,” said Lord Dalgarno, “but here you are wrong. In the Court horizon Buckingham is Lord of the Ascendant, and as he is adverse or favouring, so sinks or rises the fortune of a suitor. The king would bid you remember your Phaedrus,
'Arripiens geminas, ripis cedentibus, ollas—'
and so forth. You are the vase of earth; beware of knocking yourself against the vase of iron.”
“The vase of earth,” said Glenvarloch, “will avoid the encounter, by getting ashore out of the current—I mean to go no more to Court.”
“O, to Court you necessarily must go; you will find your Scottish suit move ill without it, for there is both patronage and favour necessary to enforce the sign-manual you have obtained. Of that we will speak more hereafter; but tell me in the meanwhile, my dear Nigel, whether you did not wonder to see me here so early?”
“I am surprised that you could find me out in this obscure corner,” said Lord Glenvarloch.
“My page Lutin is a very devil for that sort of discovery,” replied Lord Dalgarno; “I have but to say, 'Goblin, I would know where he or she dwells,' and he guides me thither as if by art magic.”
“I hope he waits not now in the street, my lord,” said Nigel; “I will send my servant to seek him.”
“Do not concern yourself—he is by this time,” said Lord Dalgarno, “playing at hustle-cap and chuck-farthing with the most blackguard imps upon the wharf, unless he hath foregone his old customs.”
“Are you not afraid,” said Lord Glenvarloch, “that in such company his morals may become depraved?”