the best dinner ye ever
dressed--beef--bacon--kid--lark--leveret--wild-fowl--venison, and what
not. Lay it on thick, and never mind expenses. I'll awa' up to the
la'. Make a' the confusion ye can; but be sure ye keep out the strange
servant."

With these charges to his ally, Caleb posted up to the hall, but
stopping to reconnoitre through an aperture, which time, for the
convenience of many a domestic in succession, had made in the door, and
perceiving the situation of Miss Ashton, he had prudence enough to
make a pause, both to avoid adding to her alarm and in order to secure
attention to his account of the disastrous effects of the thunder.

But when he perceived that the lady was recovered, and heard the
conversation turn upon the accommodation and refreshment which the
castle afforded, he thought it time to burst into the room in the manner
announced in the last chapter.

"Willawins!--willawins! Such a misfortune to befa' the house of
Ravenswood, and I to live to see it."

"What is the matter, Caleb?" said his master, somewhat alarmed in his
turn; "has any part of the castle fallen?"

"Castle fa'an! na, but the sute's fa'an, and the thunner's come right
down the kitchen-lum, and the things are a' lying here awa', there awa',
like the Laird o' Hotchpotch's lands; and wi' brave guests of honour
and quality to entertain (a low bow here to Sir William Ashton and his
daughter), and naething left in the house fit to present for dinner, or
for supper either, for aught that I can see!"

"I very believe you, Caleb," said Ravenswood, drily. Balderstone here
turned to his master a half-upbraiding, half-imploring countenance,
and edged towards him as he repeated, "It was nae great matter of
preparation; but just something added to your honour's ordinary course
of fare--petty cover, as they say at the Louvre--three courses and the
fruit."

"Keep your intolerable nonsense to yourself, you old fool!" said
Ravenswood, mortified at his officiousness, yet not knowing how to
contradict him, without the risk of giving rise to scenes yet more
ridiculous.

Caleb saw his advantage, and resolved to improve it. But first,
observing that the Lord Keeper's servant entered the apartment and spoke
apart with his master, he took the same opportunity to whisper a few
words into Ravenswood's ear: "Haud your tongue, for heaven's sake, sir;
if it's my pleasure to hazard my soul in telling lees for the honour
of the family, it's nae busine