Subduing, therefore, the haughtiness of temper proper to him as an only son and heir, he answered respectfully, that, in his condition, the advice and assistance of Mr.
Scrogie Touchwood were too important, not to be purchased at the price of submitting his own judgment to that of an experienced and sagacious friend.
"Well said, Mr.Mowbray," replied the senior, "well said.

Let me once have the management of your affairs, and we will brush them up for you without loss of time .-- I must be obliged to you for a bed for the night, however--it is as dark as a wolf's mouth; and if you will give orders to keep the poor devil of a postilion, and his horses too, why, I will be the more obliged to you." Mowbray applied himself to the bell.

Patrick answered the call, and was much surprised, when the old gentleman, taking the word out of his entertainer's mouth, desired a bed to be got ready, with a little fire in the grate; "for I take it, friend," he went on, "you have not guests here very often .-- And see that my sheets be not damp, and bid the housemaid take care not to make the bed upon an exact level, but let it slope from the pillow to the footposts, at a declivity of about eighteen inches .-- And hark ye--get me a jug of barley-water, to place by my bedside, with the squeeze of a lemon--or stay, you will make it as sour as Beelzebub--bring the lemon on a saucer, and I will mix it myself." Patrick listened like one of sense forlorn, his head turning like a mandarin, alternately from the speaker to his master, as if to ask the latter whether this was all reality.

The instant that Touchwood stopped, Mowbray added his fiat.
"Let every thing be done to make Mr.Touchwood comfortable, in the way he wishes." "Aweel, sir," said Patrick, "I shall tell Mally, to be sure, and we maun do our best, and--but it's unco late"---- "And, therefore," said Touchwood, "the sooner we get to bed the better, my old friend.

I, for one, must be stirring early--I have business of life and death--it concerns you too, Mr.Mowbray--but no more of that till to-morrow .-- And let the lad put up his horses, and get him a bed somewhere." Patrick here thought he had gotten upon firm ground for resistance, for which, displeased with the dictatorial manner of the stranger, he felt considerably inclined.
"Ye may catch us at that, if ye can," said Patrick; "there's nae post cattle come into our stables--What do we ken, but that they may be glandered, as the groom says ?" "We must take the risk to-night, Patrick," said Mowbray, reluctantly enough--"unless Mr.Touchwood will permit the horses to come back early next morning ?" "Not I, indeed," said Touchwood; "safe bind safe find--it may be once away and aye away, and we shall have enough to do to-morrow morning.
Moreover, the poor carrion are tired, and the merciful man is merciful to his beast--and, in a word, if the horses go back to St.Ronan's Well to-night, I go there for company." It often happens, owing, I suppose, to the perversity of human nature, that subserviency in trifles is more difficult to a proud mind, than compliance in matters of more importance.