KENILWORTH - Penn State University

Sir Walter Scottshe is inexcusable, having had experience how to have orderedher matters better. But who were those, a man and a woman,I think, who rode so hastily up the hill before me even now?Do they belong to your company?”Wayland was about to hazard a reply to this alarming inquiry,when the little diablotin again thrust in his oar.“So please you,” he said, coming close up to Varney, andspeaking so as not to be overheard by his companions, “theman was our devil major, who has tricks enough to supplythe lack of a hundred such as Dame Laneham; and the woman,if you please, is the sage person whose assistance is most particularlynecessary to our distressed comrade.”“Oh, what! you have got the wise woman, then?” saidVarney. “Why, truly, she rode like one bound to a place whereshe was needed. And you have a spare limb of Satan, besides,to supply the place of Mistress Laneham?”“Ay, sir,” said the boy; “they are not so scarce in this world asyour honour’s virtuous eminence would suppose. This master-fiendshall spit a few flashes of fire, and eruct a volume ortwo of smoke on the spot, if it will do you pleasure—youwould think he had AEtna in his abdomen.”“I lack time just now, most hopeful imp of darkness, towitness his performance,” said Varney; “but here is somethingfor you all to drink the lucky hour—and so, as the play says,‘God be with Your labour!’”Thus speaking, he struck his horse with the spurs, and rodeon his way.Lambourne tarried a moment or two behind his master,and rummaged his pouch for a piece of silver, which he bestowedon the communicative imp, as he said, for his encouragementon his path to the infernal regions, some sparks ofwhose fire, he said, he could discover flashing from him already.Then having received the boy’s thanks for his generosityhe also spurred his horse, and rode after his master as fastas the fire flashes from flint.“And now,” said the wily imp, sidling close up to Wayland’shorse, and cutting a gambol in the air which seemed to vindicatehis title to relationship with the prince of that element,“I have told them who you are, do you in return tell me whoI am?”“Either Flibbertigibbet,” answered Wayland Smith, “or elsean imp of the devil in good earnest.”293