Tales　and　Fantasies
  by　Robert　Louis　Stevenson
  Contents
  The　Misadventures　of　John　Nicholson
  The　Body…Snatcher
  The　Story　of　a　Lie
  THE　MISADVENTURES　OF　JOHN　NICHOLSON
  CHAPTER　I　…　IN　WHICH　JOHN　SOWS　THE　WIND
  JOHN　VAREY　NICHOLSON　was　stupid；　yet；　stupider　men　than　he
  are　now　sprawling　in　Parliament；　and　lauding　themselves　as
  the　authors　of　their　own　distinction。　　He　was　of　a　fat　habit；
  even　from　boyhood；　and　inclined　to　a　cheerful　and　cursory
  reading　of　the　face　of　life；　and　possibly　this　attitude　of
  mind　was　the　original　cause　of　his　misfortunes。　　Beyond　this
  hint　philosophy　is　silent　on　his　career；　and　superstition
  steps　in　with　the　more　ready　explanation　that　he　was　detested
  of　the　gods。
  His　father　…　that　iron　gentleman　…　had　long　ago　enthroned
  himself　on　the　heights　of　the　Disruption　Principles。　　What
  these　are　（and　in　spite　of　their　grim　name　they　are　quite
  innocent）　no　array　of　terms　would　render　thinkable　to　the
  merely　English　intelligence；　but　to　the　Scot　they　often　prove
  unctuously　nourishing；　and　Mr。　Nicholson　found　in　them　the
  milk　of　lions。　　About　the　period　when　the　churches　convene　at
  Edinburgh　in　their　annual　assemblies；　he　was　to　be　seen
  descending　the　Mound　in　the　company　of　divers　red…headed
  clergymen：　these　voluble；　he　only　contributing　oracular　nods；
  brief　negatives；　and　the　austere　spectacle　of　his　stretched
  upper　lip。　　The　names　of　Candlish　and　Begg　were　frequent　in
  these　interviews；　and　occasionally　the　talk　ran　on　the
  Residuary　Establishment　and　the　doings　of　one　Lee。　　A
  stranger　to　the　tight　little　theological　kingdom　of　Scotland
  might　have　listened　and　gathered　literally　nothing。　　And　Mr。
  Nicholson　（who　was　not　a　dull　man）　knew　this；　and　raged　at
  it。　　He　knew　there　was　a　vast　world　outside；　to　whom
  Disruption　Principles　were　as　the　chatter　of　tree…top　apes；
  the　paper　brought　him　chill　whiffs　from　it；　he　had　met
  Englishmen　who　had　asked　lightly　if　he　did　not　belong　to　the
  Church　of　Scotland；　and　then　had　failed　to　be　much　interested
  by　his　elucidation　of　that　nice　point；　it　was　an　evil；　wild；
  rebellious　world；　lying　sunk　in　DOZENEDNESS；　for　nothing
  short　of　a　Scots　word　will　paint　this　Scotsman's　feelings。
  And　when　he　entered　into　his　own　house　in　Randolph　Crescent
  （south　side）；　and　shut　the　door　behind　him；　his　heart　swelled
  with　security。　　Here；　at　least；　was　a　citadel　impregnable　by
  right…hand　defections　or　left…hand　extremes。　　Here　was　a
  family　where　prayers　came　at　the　same　hour；　where　the　Sabbath
  literature　was　unimpeachably　selected；　where　the　guest　who
  should　have　leaned　to　any　false　opinion　was　instantly　set
  down；　and　over　which　there　reigned　all　week；　and　grew　denser
  on　Sundays；　a　silence　that　was　agreeable　to　his　ear；　and　a
  gloom　that　he　found　comfortable。
  Mrs。　Nicholson　had　died　about　thirty；　and　left　him　with　three
  children：　a　daughter　two　years；　and　a　son　about　eight　years
  younger　than　John；　and　John　himself；　the　unlucky　bearer　of　a
  name　infamous　in　English　history。　　The　daughter；　Maria；　was　a
  good　girl　…　dutiful；　pious；　dull；　but　so　easily　startled　that
  to　speak　to　her　was　quite　a　perilous　enterprise。　　'I　don't
  think　I　care　to　talk　about　that；　if　you　please；'　she　would
  say；　and　strike　the　boldest　speechless　by　her　unmistakable
  pain；　this　upon　all　topics　…　dress；　pleasure；　morality；
  politics；　in　which　the　formula　was　changed　to　'my　papa　thinks
  otherwise；'　and　even　religion；　unless　it　was　approached　with
  a　particular　whining　tone　of　voice。　　Alexander；　the　younger
  brother；　was　sickly；　clever；　fond　of　books　and　drawing；　and
  full　of　satirical　remarks。　　In　the　midst　of　these；　imagine
  that　natural；　clumsy；　unintelligent；　and　mirthful　animal；
  John；　mighty　well…behaved　in　comparison　with　other　lads；
  although　not　up　to　the　mark　of　the　house　in　Randolph
  Crescent；　full　of　a　sort　of　blundering　affection；　full　of
  caresses；　which　were　never　very　warmly　received；　full　of
  sudden　and　loud　laughter　which　rang　out　in　that　still　house
  like　curses。　　Mr。　Nicholson　himself　had　a　great　fund　of
  humour；　of　the　Scots　order　…　intellectual；　turning　on　the
  observation　of　men；　his　own　character；　for　instance　…　if　he
  could　have　seen　it　in　another　…　would　have　been　a　rare　feast
  to　him；　but　his　son's　empty　guffaws　over　a　broken　plate；　and
  empty；　almost　light…hearted　remarks；　struck　him　with　pain　as
  the　indices　of　a　weak　mind。
  Outside　the　family　John　had　early　attached　himself　（much　as　a
  dog　may　follow　a　marquis）　to　the　steps　of　Alan　Houston；　a　lad
  about　a　year　older　than　himself；　idle；　a　trifle　wild；　the
  heir　to　a　good　estate　which　was　still　in　the　hands　of　a
  rigorous　trustee；　and　so　royally　content　with　himself　that　he
  took　John's　devotion　as　a　thing　of　course。　　The　intimacy　was
  gall　to　Mr。　Nicholson；　it　took　his　son　from　the　house；　and　he
  was　a　jealous　parent；　it　kept　him　from　the　office；　and　he　was
  a　martinet；　lastly；　Mr。　Nicholson　was　ambitious　for　his
  family　（in　which；　and　the　Disruption　Principles；　he　entirely
  lived）；　and　he　hated　to　see　a　son　of　his　play　second　fiddle
  to　an　idler。　　After　some　hesitation；　he　ordered　that　the
  friendship　should　cease　…　an　unfair　command；　though　seemingly
  inspired　by　the　spirit　of　prophecy；　and　John；　saying　nothing；
  continued　to　disobey　the　order　under　the　rose。
  John　was　nearly　nineteen　when　he　was　one　day　dismissed　rather
  earlier　than　usual　from　his　father's　office；　where　he　was
  studying　the　practice　of　the　law。　　It　was　Saturday；　and
  except　that　he　had　a　matter　of　four　hundred　pounds　in　his
  pocket　which　it　was　his　duty　to　hand　over　to　the　British
  Linen　Company's　Bank；　he　had　the　whole　afternoon　at　his
  disposal。　　He　went　by　Princes　Street　enjoying　the　mild
  sunshine；　and　the　little　thrill　of　easterly　wind　that　tossed
  the　flags　along　that　terrace　of　palaces；　and　tumbled　the
  green　trees　in　the　garden。　　The　band　was　playing　down　in　the
  valley　under　the　castle；　and　when　it　came　to　the　turn　of　the
  pipers；　he　heard　their　wild　sounds　with　a　stirring　of　the
  blood。　　Something　distantly　martial　woke　in　him；　and　he
  thought　of　Miss　Mackenzie；　whom　he　was　to　meet　that　day　at
  dinner。
  Now；　it　is　undeniable　that　he　should　have　gone　directly　to
  the　bank；　but　right　in　the　way　stood　the　billiard…room　of　the
  hotel　where　Alan　was　almost　certain　to　be　found；　and　the
  temptation　proved　too　strong。　　He　entered　the　billiard…room；
  and　was　instantly　greeted　by　his　friend；　cue　in　hand。
  'Nicholson；'　said　he；　'I　want　you　to　lend　me　a　pound　or　two
  till　Monday。'
  'You've　come　to　the　right　shop；　haven't　you？'　returned　John。
  'I　have　twopence。'
  'Nonsense；'　said　Alan。　　'You　can　get　some。　　Go　and　borrow　at
  your　tailor's；　they　all　do　it。　　Or　I'll　tell　you　what：　pop
  your　watch。'
  'Oh；　yes；　I　dare　say；'　said　John。　　'And　how　about　my　father？'
  'How　is　he　to　know？　　He　doesn't　wind　it　up　for　you　at　night；
  does　he？'　inquired　Alan；　at　which　John　guffawed。　　'No；
  seriously；　I　am　in　a　fix；'　continued　the　tempter。　　'I　have
  lost　some　money　to　a　man　here。　　I'll　give　it　you　to…night；
  and　you　can　get　the　heir…loom　out　again　on　Monday。　　Come；
  it's　a　small　service；　after　all。　　I　would　do　a　good　deal　more
  for　you。'
  Whereupon　John　went　forth；　and　pawned　his　gold　watch　under
  the　assumed　name　of　John　Froggs；　85　Pleasance。　　But　the
  nervousness　that　assailed　him　at　the　door　of　that　inglorious
  haunt　…　a　pawnshop　…　and　the　effort　necessary　to　invent　the
  pseudonym　（which；　somehow；　seemed　to　him　a　necessary　part　of
  the　procedure）；　had　taken　more　time　than　he　imagined：　and
  when　he　returned　to　the　billiard…room　with　the　spoils；　the
  bank　had　already　closed　its　doors。
  This　was　a　shrewd　knock。　　'A　piece　of　business　had　been
  neglected。'　　He　heard　these　words　in　his　father's　trenchant
  voice；　and　trembled；　and　then　dodged　the　thought。　　After　all；
  who　was　to　know？　　He　must　carry　four　hundred　pounds　about
  with　him　till　Monday；　when　the　neglect　could　be
  surreptitiously　repaired；　and　meanwhile；　he　was　free　to　pass
  the　afternoon　on　the　encircling　divan　of　the　billiard…room；
  smoking　his　pipe；　sipping　a　pint　of　ale；　and　enjoying　to　the
  masthead　the　modest　pleasures　of　admiration。
  None　can　admire　like　a　young　man。　　Of　all　youth's　passions
  and　pleasures；　this　is　the　most　common　and　least　alloyed；　and
  every　flash　of　Alan's　black　eyes；　every　aspect　of　his　curly
  head；　every　graceful　reach；　every　easy；　stand…off　attitude　of
  waiting；　ay；　and　down　to　his　shirt…sleeves　and　wrist…links；
  were　seen　by　John　through　a　luxurious　glory。　　He　valued
  himself　by　the　possession　of　that　royal　friend；　hugged
  himself　upon　the　thought；　and　swam　in　warm　azure；　his　own
  defects；　like　vanquished　difficulties；　becoming　things　on
  which　to　plume　himself。　　Only　when　he　thought　of　Miss
  Mackenzie　there　fell　upon　his　mind　a　shadow　of　regret；　that
  young　lady　was　worthy　of　better　things　than　plain　John
  Nicholson；　still　known　among　schoo