however, that she
trewed she had made her hearth-broom and the auld heathen's pow right
weel acquainted. The tranquillity which ensued upon her departure, gave
Tyrrel an opportunity to ask the Captain, whom he at length recognised,
the meaning of this singular affray, and whether the visit was intended
for him; to which the veteran replied very discomposedly, that "he
should have known that long enough ago, if he had had decent people to
open his door, and answer a civil question, instead of a flyting
madwoman, who was worse than an eagle," he said, "or a mastiff-bitch, or
a she-bear, or any other female beast in the creation."

Half suspecting his errand, and desirous to avoid unnecessary notoriety,
Tyrrel, as he showed the Captain to the parlour, which he called his
own, entreated him to excuse the rudeness of his landlady, and to pass
from the topic to that which had procured him the honour of this visit.

"And you are right, my good Master Tyrrel," said the Captain, pulling
down the sleeves of his coat, adjusting his handkerchief and
breast-ruffle, and endeavouring to recover the composure of manner
becoming his mission, but still adverting indignantly to the usage he
had received--"By Cot! if she had but been a man, if it were the King
himself--However, Mr. Tyrrel, I am come on a civil errand--and very
civilly I have been treated--the auld bitch should be set in the stocks,
and be tamned!--My friend, Sir Bingo--By Cot! I shall never forget that
woman's insolence--if there be a constable or a cat-o'-nine-tails within
ten miles"----

"I perceive, Captain," said Tyrrel, "that you are too much disturbed at
this moment to enter upon the business which has brought you here--if
you will step into my bedroom, and make use of some cold water and a
towel, it will give you the time to compose yourself a little."

"I shall do no such thing, Mr. Tyrrel," answered the Captain,
snappishly; "I do not want to be composed at all, and I do not want to
stay in this house a minute longer than to do my errand to you on my
friend's behalf--And as for this tamned woman Dods"----

"You will in that case forgive my interrupting you, Captain MacTurk, as
I presume your errand to me can have no reference to this strange
quarrel with my landlady, with which I have nothing to"----

"And if I thought that it had, sir," said the Captain, interrupting
Tyrrel in his turn, "you should have given me satisfaction before you
was a quarter of an ho