e　court；　（once　the　place　of　meeting　of　the　ancient　Scottish　Parliament）；　and　which　corresponds　to　the　use　of　Westminster　Hall　in　England；　serving　as　a　vestibule　to　the　Inner　House；　as　it　is　termed；　and　a　place　of　dominion　to　certain　sedentary　personages　called　Lords　Ordinary。
  The　earlier　part　of　the　morning　was　spent　by　old　Fairford　in　reiterating　his　instructions　to　Alan；　and　in　running　from　one　person　to　another；　from　whom　he　thought　he　could　still　glean　some　grains　of　information；　either　concerning　the　point　at　issue；　or　collateral　cases。　　Meantime；　Poor　Peter　Peebles；　whose　shallow　brain　was　altogether　unable　to　bear　the　importance　of　the　moment；　kept　as　close　to　his　young　counsel　as　shadow　to　substance；　affected　now　to　speak　loud；　now　to　whisper　in　his　ear；　now　to　deck　his　ghastly　countenance　with　wreathed　smiles；　now　to　cloud　it　with　a　shade　of　deep　and　solemn　importance；　and　anon　to　contort　it　with　the　sneer　of　scorn　and　derision。　　These　moods　of　the　client's　mind　were　accompanied　with　singular　'mockings　and　mowings；'　fantastic　gestures；　which　the　man　of　rags　and　litigation　deemed　appropriate　to　his　changes　of　countenance。　　Now　he　brandished　his　arm　aloft；　now　thrust　his　fist　straight　out；　as　if　to　knock　his　opponent　down。　　Now　he　laid　his　open　palm　on　his　bosom；　and　now　hinging　it　abroad；　he　gallantly　snapped　his　fingers　in　the　air。
  These　demonstrations；　and　the　obvious　shame　and　embarrassment　of　Alan　Fairford；　did　not　escape　the　observation　of　the　juvenile　idlers　in　the　hall。　　They　did　not；　indeed；　approach　Peter　with　their　usual　familiarity；　from　some　feeling　of　deference　towards　Fairford；　though　many　accused　him　of　conceit　in　presuming　to　undertake；　at　this　early　stage　of　his　practice；　a　case　of　considerable　difficulty。　　But　Alan；　notwithstanding　this　forbearance；　was　not　the　less　sensible　that　he　and　his　companion　were　the　subjects　of　many　a　passing　jest；　and　many　a　shout　of　laughter；　with　which　that　region　at　all　times　abounds。
  At　length　the　young　counsel's　patience　gave　way；　and　as　it　threatened　to　carry　his　presence　of　mind　and　recollection　along　with　it；　Alan　frankly　told　his　father；　that　unless　he　was　relieved　from　the　infliction　of　his　client's　personal　presence　and　instructions；　he　must　necessarily　throw　up　his　brief；　and　decline　pleading　the　case。
  'Hush；　hush；　my　dear　Alan；'　said　the　old　gentleman；　almost　at　his　own　wit's　end　upon　hearing　this　dilemma；　'dinna　mind　the　silly　ne'er…do…weel；　we　cannot　keep　the　man　from　hearing　his　own　cause；　though　he　be　not　quite　right　in　the　head。'
  'On　my　life；　sir；'　answered　Alan；　'I　shall　be　unable　to　go　on；　he　drives　everything　out　of　my　remembrance；　and　if　I　attempt　to　speak　seriously　of　the　injuries　he　has　sustained；　and　the　condition　he　is　reduced　to；　how　can　I　expect　but　that　the　very　appearance　of　such　an　absurd　scarecrow　will　turn　it　all　into　ridicule？'
  'There　is　something　in　that；'　said　Saunders　Fairford；　glancing　a　look　at　Poor　Peter；　and　then　cautiously　inserting　his　forefinger　under　his　bob…wig；　in　order　to　rub　his　temple　and　aid　his　invention；　'he　is　no　figure　for　the　fore…bar　to　see　without　laughing；　but　how　to　get　rid　of　him？　　To　speak　sense；　or　anything　like　it；　is　the　last　thing　he　will　listen　to。　　Stay；　aye；Alan；　my　darling；　hae　patience；　I'll　get　him　off　on　the　instant；　like　a　gowff　ba'。'
  So　saying；　he　hastened　to　his　ally；　Peter　Drudgeit；　who　on　seeing　him　with　marks　of　haste　in　his　gait；　and　care　upon　his　countenance；　clapped　his　pen　behind　his　ear；　with　'What's　the　stir　now；　Mr。　Saunders？　　Is　there　aught　wrang？'
  'Here's　a　dollar；　man；'　said　Mr。　Saunders；　'now；　or　never；　Peter；　do　me　a　good　turn。　　Yonder's　your　namesake；　Peter　Peebles；　will　drive　the　swine　through　our　bonny　hanks　of　yarn；　get　him　over　to　John's　Coffeehouse；　mangie　him　his　meridiankeep　him　there；　drunk　or　sober；　till　the　hearing　is　ower。'　　＇The　simile　is　obvious；　from　the　old　manufacture　of　Scotland；　when　the　gudewife's　thrift；　as　the　yarn　wrought　in　the　winter　was　called；　when　laid　down　to　bleach　by　the　burn…side；　was　peculiarly　exposed　to　the　inroads　of　pigs；　seldom　well　regulated　about　a　Scottish　farm…house。＇
  'Eneugh　said；'　quoth　Peter　Drudgeit；　no　way　displeased　with　his　own　share　in　the　service　required；　'We'se　do　your　bidding。'
  Accordingly；　the　scribe　was　presently　seen　whispering　in　the　ear　of　Peter　Peebles；　whose　response　came　forth　in　the　following　broken　form　：…
  'Leave　the　court　for　ae　minute　on　this　great　day　of　judgement？　not　I；　by　the　RegEh！　　what？　　Brandy；　did　ye　sayFrench　brandy？couldna　ye　fetch　a　stoup　to　the　bar　under　your　coat；　man？　　Impossible？　　Nay；　if　it's　clean　impossible；　and　if　we　have　an　hour　good　till　they　get　through　the　single　bill　and　the　summar…roll；　I　carena　if　I　cross　the　close　wi'　you；　I　am　sure　I　need　something　to　keep　my　heart　up　this　awful　day；　but　I'll　no　stay　above　an　instantnot　above　a　minute　of　timenor　drink　aboon　a　single　gill；'
  In　a　few　minutes　afterwards；　the　two　Peters　were　seen　moving　through　the　Parliament　Close　（which　new…fangled　affectation　has　termed　a　Square）；　the　triumphant　Drudgeit　leading　captive　the　passive　Peebles；　whose　legs　conducted　him　towards　the　dramshop；　while　his　reverted　eyes　were　fixed　upon　the　court。　　They　dived　into　the　Cimmerian　abysses　of　John's　Coffeehouse；　＇See　Note　5。＇　formerly　the　favourite　rendezvous　of　the　classical　and　genial　Doctor　Pitcairn；　and　were　for　the　present　seen　no　more。
  Relieved　from　his　tormentor；　Alan　Fairford　had　time　to　rally　his　recollections；　which；　in　the　irritation　of　his　spirits；　had　nearly　escaped　him；　and　to　prepare　himself　far　a　task；　the　successful　discharge　or　failure　in　which　must；　he　was　aware；　have　the　deepest　influence　upon　his　fortunes。　　He　had　pride；　was　not　without　a　consciousness　of　talent；　and　the　sense　of　his　father's　feelings　upon　the　subject　impelled　him　to　the　utmost　exertion。　Above　all；　he　had　that　sort　of　self…command　which　is　essential　to　success　in　every　arduous　undertaking；　and　he　was　constitutionally　free　from　that　feverish　irritability　by　which　those　whose　over…　active　imaginations　exaggerate　difficulties；　render　themselves　incapable　of　encountering　such　when　they　arrive。
  Having　collected　all　the　scattered　and　broken　associations　which　were　necessary；　Alan's　thoughts　reverted　to　Dumfriesshire；　and　the　precarious　situation　in　which　he　feared　his　beloved　friend　had　placed　himself；　and　once　and　again　he　consulted　his　watch；　eager　to　have　his　present　task　commenced　and　ended；　that　he　might　hasten　to　Darsie's　assistance。　　The　hour　and　moment　at　length　arrived。　　The　macer　shouted；　with　all　his　well…remembered　brazen　strength　of　lungs；　'Poor　Peter　Peebles　VERSUS　Plainstanes；　PER　Dumtoustie　ET　Tough！Maister　Da…a…niel　Dumtoustie！'　　Dumtoustie　answered　not　the　summons；　which；　deep　and　swelling　as　it　was；　could　not　reach　across　the　Queensferry；　but　our　Maister　Alan　Fairford　appeared　in　his　place。
  The　court　was　very　much　crowded；　for　much　amusement　had　been　received　on　former　occasions　when　Peter　had　volunteered　his　own　oratory；　and　had　been　completely　successful　in　routing　the　gravity　of　the　whole　procedure；　and　putting　to　silence；　not　indeed　the　counsel　of　the　opposite　party；　but　his　own。
  Both　bench　and　audience　seemed　considerably　surprised　at　the　juvenile　appearance　of　the　young　man　who　appeared　in　the　room　of　Dumtoustie；　for　the　purpose　of　opening　this　complicated　and　long　depending　process；　and　the　common　herd　were　disappointed　at　the　absence　of　Peter　the　client；　the　Punchinello　of　the　expected　entertainment。　　The　judges　looked　with　a　very　favourable　countenance　on　our　friend　Alan；　most　of　them　being　acquainted；　more　or　less；　with　so　old　a　practitioner　as　his　father；　and　all；　or　almost　all；　affording；　from　civility；　the　same　fair　play　to　the　first　pleading　of　a　counsel；　which　the　House　of　Commons　yields　to　the　maiden　speech　of　one　of　its　members。
  Lord　Bladderskate　was　an　exception　to　this　general　expression　of　benevolence。　　He　scowled　upon　Alan；　from　beneath　his　large；　shaggy；　grey　eyebrows；　just　as　if　the　young　lawyer　had　been　usurping　his　nephew's　honours；　instead　of　covering　his　disgrace；　and；　from　feelings　which　did　his　lordship　little　honour；　he　privately　hoped　the　young　man　would　not　succeed　in　the　cause　which　his　kinsman　had　abandoned。
  Even　Lord　Bladderskate；　however；　was；　in　spite　of　himself；　pleased　with　the　judicious　and　modest　tone　in　which　Alan　began　his　address　to　the　court；　apologizing　for　his　own　presumption；　and　excusing　it　by　the　sudden　illness　of　his　learned　brother；　for　whom　the　labour　of　opening　a　cause　of　some　difficulty　and　importance　had　been　much　more　worthily　designed。　　He　spoke　of　himself　as　he　really　was；　and　of　young　Dumtoustie　as　what　he　ought　to　have　been；　taking　care　not　to　dwell　on　either　topic　a　moment　longer　than　was　necessary。　　The　old　judge's　looks　became　benign；　his　family　pride　was　propitiated；　and；　pleased　equally　with　the　modesty　and　civility　of　the　young　man　whom　he　had　thought　forward　and　officious；　he　relaxed　the　scorn　of　his　features　into　an　expression　of　profound　attention；　the　highest　compliment；　and　the　greatest　encouragement；　which　a　judge　can　render　to　the　counsel　addressing　him。
  Having　succeeded　in　securing　the　favourable　attention　of　the　court；　the　young　lawyer；　using　the　lights　w