As Mr. Glossin's carriage stopped at the door of the hall, Sir Robert
reconnoitred the new vehicle from the windows. According to his
aristocratic feelings, there was a degree of presumption in this novus
homo, this Mr. Gilbert Glossin, late writer in---, presuming to set up
such an accommodation at all; but his wrath was mitigated when he
observed that the mantle upon the panels only bore a plain cipher of
G.G. This apparent modesty was indeed solely owing to the delay of Mr.
Gumming of the Lyon Office, who, being at that time engaged in
discovering and matriculating the arms of two commissaries from North
America, three English-Irish peers, and two great Jamaica traders, had
been more slow than usual in finding an escutcheon for the new Laird of
Ellangowan. But his delay told to the advantage of Glossin in the
opinion of the proud Baronet.
While the officers of justice detained their prisoner in a sort of
steward's room, Mr. Glossin was ushered into what was called the great
oak-parlour, a long room, panelled with well-varnished wainscot, and
adorned with the grim portraits of Sir Robert Hazlewood's ancestry. The
visitor, who had no internal consciousness of worth to balance that of
meanness of birth, felt his inferiority, and by the depth of his bow
and the obsequiousness of his demeanour showed that the Laird of
Ellangowan was sunk for the time in the old and submissive habits of
the quondam retainer of the law. He would have persuaded himself,
indeed, that he was only humouring the pride of the old Baronet for the
purpose of turning it to his own advantage, but his feelings were of a
mingled nature, and he felt the influence of those very prejudices
which he pretended to flatter.
The Baronet received his visitor with that condescending parade which
was meant at once to assert his own vast superiority, and to show the
generosity and courtesy with which he could waive it, and descend to
the level of ordinary conversation with ordinary men. He thanked
Glossin for his attention to a matter in which 'young Hazlewood' was so
intimately concerned, and, pointing to his family pictures, observed,
with a gracious smile, 'Indeed, these venerable gentlemen, Mr. Glossin,
are as much obliged as I am in this case for the labour, pains, care,
and trouble which you have taken in their behalf; and I have no doubt,
were they capable of expressing themselves, would join me, sir, in
thanking you for the favour you have conferred upon the house of
Hazlewood by taking care, and trouble, sir, and interest in behalf of
the young gentleman who is to continue their name and family.'
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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