I asked him what he could possibly mean, and he answered, with a
heckling laugh, that he thought I must have found the poker in the
same place and swallowed it.
There could be no mistake about this, and my cheek burned.
"Before I went about to put affronts on gentlemen," said I, "I
think I would learn the English language first."
He took me by the sleeve with a nod and a wink and led me quietly
outside Hope Park. But no sooner were we beyond the view of the
promenaders, than the fashion of his countenance changed. "You tam
lowland scoon'rel!" cries he, and hit me a buffet on the jaw with
his closed fist.
I paid him as good or better on the return; whereupon he stepped a
little back and took off his hat to me decorously.
"Enough plows I think," says he. "I will be the offended
shentleman, for who effer heard of such suffeeciency as tell a
shentlemans that is the king's officer he cannae speak Cot's
English? We have swords at our hurdles, and here is the King's
Park at hand. Will ye walk first, or let me show ye the way?"
I returned his bow, told him to go first, and followed him.
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