and barefaced insult to his Majesty."

"Doubtless a proud position for your father's son," says I.

He wagged his bald eyebrows at me. "You are pleased to make experiments
in the ironical, I think," said he. "But I am here upon duty, I am here
to discharge my errand in good faith, it is in vain you think to divert
me. And let me tell you, for a young fellow of spirit and ambition like
yourself, a good shove in the beginning will do more than ten years'
drudgery. The shove is now at your command; choose what you will to be
advanced in, the Duke will watch upon you with the affectionate
disposition of a father."

"I am thinking that I lack the docility of the son," says I.

"And do you really suppose, sir, that the whole policy of this country
is to be suffered to trip up and tumble down for an ill-mannered colt of
a boy?" he cried. "This has been made a test case, all who would prosper
in the future must put a shoulder to the wheel. Look at me! Do you
suppose it is for my pleasure that I put myself in the highly invidious
position of prosecuting a man that I have drawn the sword alongside of?
The choice is not left me."

"But I think, sir, that you forfeited your choice when you mixed in with
that unnatural rebellion," I remarked. "My case is happily otherwise; I
am a true man, and can look either the Duke or King George in the face
without concern."

"Is it so the wind sits?" says he. "I protest you are fallen in the
worst sort of error. Prestongrange has been hitherto so civil (he tells