ou　it　is　you　whom　I　came　to　visit；　although；　now　that　we　have　met；　I　find　it　will　be　much　better　that　I　should　commit　my　communication　to　writing。'
  'I　hope；　madam；　you　will　not　be　so　cruelso　tantalizing；　I　would　say。　　Consider；　you　are　my　first　clientyour　business　my　first　consultationdo　not　do　me　the　displeasure　of　withdrawing　your　confidence　because　I　am　a　few　years　younger　than　you　seem　to　have　expected。　　My　attention　shall　make　amends　for　my　want　of　experience。'
  'I　have　no　doubt　of　either；'　said　the　lady；　in　a　grave　tone；　calculated　to　restrain　the　air　of　gallantry　with　which　I　had　endeavoured　to　address　her。　　'But　when　you　have　received　my　letter　you　will　find　good　reasons　assigned　why　a　written　communication　will　best　suit　my　purpose。　　I　wish　you；　sir；　a　good　morning。'　　And　she　left　the　apartment；　her　poor　baffled　counsel　scraping；　and　bowing；　and　apologizing　for　anything　that　might　have　been　disagreeable　to　her；　although　the　front　of　my　offence　seems　to　be　my　having　been　discovered　to　be　younger　than　my　father。
  The　door　was　openedout　she　wentwalked　along　the　pavement；　turned　down　the　close；　and　put　the　sun；　I　believe；　into　her　pocket　when　she　disappeared；　so　suddenly　did　dullness　and　darkness　sink　down　on　the　square；　when　she　was　no　longer　visible。　I　stood　for　a　moment　as　if　I　had　been　senseless；　not　recollecting　what　a　fund　of　entertainment　I　must　have　supplied　to　our　watchful　friends　on　the　other　side　of　the　green。　　Then　it　darted　on　my　mind　that　I　might　dog　her；　and　ascertain　at　least　who　or　what　she　was。　　Off　I　setran　down　the　close；　where　she　was　no　longer　to　be　seen；　and　demanded　of　one　of　the　dyer's　lads　whether　he　had　seen　a　lady　go　down　the　close；　or　had　observed　which　way　she　turned。
  'A　leddy！'said　the　dyer；　staring　at　me　with　his　rainbow　countenance。　　'Mr。　Alan；　what　takes　you　out；　rinning　like　daft；　without　your　hat？'
  'The　devil　take　my　hat！'　　answered　I；　running　back；　however；　in　quest　of　it；　snatched　it　up；　and　again　sallied　forth。　　But　as　I　reached　the　head　of　the　close　once　more；　I　had　sense　enough　to　recollect　that　all　pursuit　would　be　now　in　vain。　　Besides；　I　saw　my　friend；　the　journeyman　dyer；　in　close　confabulation　with　a　pea…green　personage　of　his　own　profession；　and　was　conscious；　like　Scrub；　that　they　talked　of　me；　because　they　laughed　consumedly。　　I　had　no　mind；　by　a　second　sudden　appearance；　to　confirm　the　report　that　Advocate　Fairford　was　'gaen　daft；'　which　had　probably　spread　from　Campbell's　Close…foot　to　the　Meal…market　Stairs；　and　so　slunk　back　within　my　own　hole　again。
  My　first　employment　was　to　remove　all　traces　of　that　elegant　and　fanciful　disposition　of　my　effects；　from　which　I　had　hoped　for　so　much　credit；　for　I　was　now　ashamed　and　angry　at　having　thought　an　instant　upon　the　mode　of　receiving　a　visit　which　had　commenced　so　agreeably；　but　terminated　in　a　manner　so　unsatisfactory。　　I　put　my　folios　in　their　placesthrew　the　foils　into　the　dressing…　closettormenting　myself　all　the　while　with　the　fruitless　doubt；　whether　I　had　missed　an　opportunity　or　escaped　a　stratagem；　or　whether　the　young　person　had　been　really　startled；　as　she　seemed　to　intimate；　by　the　extreme　youth　of　her　intended　legal　adviser。　The　mirror　was　not　unnaturally　called　in　to　aid；　and　that　cabinet…counsellor　pronounced　me　rather　short；　thick…set；　with　a　cast　of　features　fitter；　I　trust；　for　the　bar　than　the　ballnot　handsome　enough　for　blushing　virgins　to　pine　for　my　sake；　or　even　to　invent　sham　cases　to　bring　them　to　my　chambersyet　not　ugly　enough　either　to　scare　those　away　who　came　on　real　business　dark；　to　be　sure；　butNIGRI　SUNT　HYACINTHIthere　are　pretty　things　to　be　said　in　favour　of　that　complexion。
  At　lengthas　common　sense　will　get　the　better　in　all　cases　when　a　man　will　but　give　it　fair　playI　began　to　stand　convicted　in　my　own　mind；　as　an　ass　before　the　interview；　for　having　expected　too　muchan　ass　during　the　interview；　for　having　failed　to　extract　the　lady's　real　purposeand　an　especial　ass；　now　that　it　was　over；　for　thinking　so　much　about　it。　　But　I　can　think　of　nothing　else；　and　therefore　I　am　determined　to　think　of　this　to　some　good　purpose。
  You　remember　Murtough　O'Hara's　defence　of　the　Catholic　doctrine　of　confession；　because；　'by　his　soul；　his　sins　were　always　a　great　burden　to　his　mind；　till　he　had　told　them　to　the　priest；　and　once　confessed；　he　never　thought　more　about　them。'　　I　have　tried　his　receipt；　therefore；　and　having　poured　my　secret　mortification　into　thy　trusty　ear；　I　will　think　no　more　about　this　maid　of　the　mist；
  Who；　with　no　face；　as　'twere；　outfaced　me。
  Four　o'clock。　Plague　on　her　green　mantle；　she　can　be　nothing　better　than　a　fairy；　she　keeps　possession　of　my　head　yet！　　All　during　dinner…　time　I　was　terribly　absent；　but；　luckily；　my　father　gave　the　whole　credit　of　my　reverie　to　the　abstract　nature　of　the　doctrine；　VINCO　VINCENTEM；　ERGO　VINCO　TE；　upon　which　brocard　of　law　the　professor　this　morning　lectured。　　So　I　got　an　early　dismissal　to　my　own　crib；　and　here　am　I　studying；　in　one　sense；　VINCERE　VINCENTEM；　to　get　the　better　of　the　silly　passion　of　curiosityI　thinkI　think　it　amounts　to　nothing　elsewhich　has　taken　such　possession　of　my　imagination；　and　is　perpetually　worrying　me　with　the　questionwill　she　write　or　no？　　She　will　notshe　will　not！　　So　says　Reason；　and　adds；　Why　should　she　take　the　trouble　to　enter　into　correspondence　with　one　who；　instead　of　a　bold；　alert；　prompt　gallant；　proved　a　chicken…hearted　boy；　and　left　her　the　whole　awkwardness　of　explanation；　which　he　should　have　met　half…way？　　But　then；　says　Fancy；　she　WILL　write；　for　she　was　not　a　bit　that　sort　of　person　whom　you；　Mr。　Reason；　in　your　wisdom；　take　her　to　be。　　She　was　disconcerted　enough；　without　my　adding　to　her　distress　by　any　impudent　conduct　on　my　part。　　And　she　will　write；　forBy　Heaven；　she　HAS　written；　Darsie；　and　with　a　vengeance！　　Here　is　her　letter；　thrown　into　the　kitchen　by　a　caddie；　too　faithful　to　be　bribed；　either　by　money　or　whisky；　to　say　more　than　that　he　received　it；　with　sixpence；　from　an　ordinary…looking　woman；　as　he　was　plying　on　his　station　near　the　Cross。
  'FOR　ALAN　FAIRFORD；　ESQUIRE；　BARRISTER。
  'SIR；　'Excuse　my　mistake　of　to…day。　　I　had　accidentally　learnt　that　Mr。　Darsie　Latimer　had　an　intimate　friend　and　associate　in　Mr。　A。　Fairford。　　When　I　inquired　for　such　a　person；　he　was　pointed　out　to　me　at　the　Cross　（as　I　think　the　Exchange　of　your　city　is　called）　in　the　character　of　a　respectable　elderly　manyour　father；　as　I　now　understand。　　On　inquiry　at　Brown's　Square；　where　I　understood　he　resided；　I　used　the　full　name　of　Alan；　which　naturally　occasioned　you　the　trouble　of　this　day's　visit。　　Upon　further　inquiry；　I　am　led　to　believe　that　you　are　likely　to　be　the　person　most　active　in　the　matter　to　which　I　am　now　about　to　direct　your　attention；　and　I　regret　much　that　circumstances；　arising　out　of　my　own　particular　situation；　prevent　my　communicating　to　you　personally　what　I　now　apprise　you　of　in　this　matter。
  'Your　friend；　Mr。　Darsie　Latimer；　is　in　a　situation　of　considerable　danger。　　You　are　doubtless　aware　that　he　has　been　cautioned　not　to　trust　himself　in　England。　　Now；　if　he　has　not　absolutely　transgressed　this　friendly　injunction；　he　has　at　least　approached　as　nearly　to　the　menaced　danger　as　he　could　do；　consistently　with　the　letter　of　the　prohibition。　　He　has　chosen　his　abode　in　a　neighbourhood　very　perilous　to　him；　and　it　is　only　by　a　speedy　return　to　Edinburgh；　or　at　least　by　a　removal　to　some　more　remote　part　of　Scotland；　that　he　can　escape　the　machinations　of　those　whose　enmity　he　has　to　fear。　　I　must　speak　in　mystery；　but　my　words　are　not　the　less　certain；　and；　I　believe；　you　know　enough　of　your　friend's　fortunes　to　be　aware　that　I　could　not　write　this　much　without　being　even　more　intimate　with　them　than　you　are。
  'If　he　cannot；　or　will　not；　take　the　advice　here　given；　it　is　my　opinion　that　you　should　join　him；　if　possible；　without　delay；　and　use；　by　your　personal　presence　and　entreaty；　the　arguments　which　may　prove　ineffectual　in　writing。　　One　word　more；　and　I　implore　of　your　candour　to　take　it　as　it　is　meant。　　No　one　supposes　that　Mr。　Fairford's　zeal　in　his　friend's　service　needs　to　be　quickened　by　mercenary　motives。　　'But　report　says；　that　Mr。　Alan　Fairford；　not　having　yet　entered　on　his　professional　career；　may；　in　such　a　case　as　this；　want　the　means；　though　he　cannot　want　the　inclination；　to　act　with　promptitude。　　The　enclosed　note　Mr。　Alan　Fairford　must　be　pleased　to　consider　as　his　first　professional　emolument；　and　she　who　sends　it　hopes　it　will　be　the　omen　of　unbounded　success；　though　the　fee　comes　from　a　hand　so　unknown　as　that　of　'GREEN　MANTLE'
  A　bank…note　of　L20　was　the　enclosure；　and　the　whole　incident　left　me　speechless　with　astonishment。　　I　am　not　able　to　read　over　the　beginning　of　my　own　letter；　which　forms　the　introduction　to　this　extraordinary　communication。　　I　only　know　that；　though　mixed　with　a　quantity　of　foolery　（God　knows　very　much　different　from　my　present　feelings）；　it　gives　an　account　sufficiently　accurate；　of　the　mysterious　person　from　whom　this　letter　comes；　and　that　I　have　neither　time　nor　patience　to　separate　the　absurd　commentary　from　the　text；　which　it　is　so　necessary　you　should　know。
  Combine　this　warning；　so　strangely　conveye