Said James, with his long face, lank hair, and very long pig-tail in its leathern strap, was placed, as usual, at the back of my father's chair, upright as a wooden sentinel at the door of a puppet-show.

'You may go down, James,' said my father; and exit Wilkinson .-- What is to come next?
thought I; for the weather is not clear on the paternal brow.
My boots encountered his first glance of displeasure, and he asked me, with a sneer, which way I had been riding.

He expected me to answer, 'Nowhere,' and would then have been at me with his usual sarcasm, touching the humour of walking in shoes at twenty shillings a pair.

But I answered with composure, that I had ridden out to dinner as far as Noble House.

He started (you know his way) as if I had said that I had dined at Jericho; and as I did not choose to seem to observe his surprise, but continued munching my radishes in tranquillity, he broke forth in ire.
'To Noble House, sir! and what had you to do at Noble House, sir?
Do you remember you are studying law, sir ?--that your Scots law trials are coming on, sir ?--that every moment of your time just now is worth hours at another time ?--and have you leisure to go to Noble House, sir ?--and to throw your books behind you for so many hours ?--Had it been a turn in the meadows, or even a game at golf--but Noble House, sir!' 'I went so far with Darsie Latimer, sir, to see him begin his journey.' 'Darsie Latimer ?' he replied in a softened tone--'Humph!--Well, I do not blame you for being kind to Darsie Latimer; but it would have done as much good if you had walked with him as far as the toll-bar, and then made your farewells--it would have saved horse-hire--and your reckoning, too, at dinner.' 'Latimer paid that, sir,' I replied, thinking to soften the matter; but I had much better have left it unspoken.
'The reckoning, sir!' replied my father.