"The devil's in the people! This is all one gets by fussing and bustling, and putting one's self out of one's way in order to give dinners, besides all the charges they are put to!—O Seged, Emperor of Ethiopia!" said he, taking up a cup of tea in the one hand, and a volume of the Rambler in the other,—for it was his regular custom to read while he was eating or drinking in presence of his sister, being a practice which served at once to evince his contempt for the society of womankind, and his resolution to lose no moment of instruction,—"O Seged, Emperor of Ethiopia! well hast thou spoken—No man should presume to say, This shall be a day of happiness." Oldbuck proceeded in his studies for the best part of an hour, uninterrupted by the ladies, who each, in profound silence, pursued some female employment. At length, a light and modest tap was heard at the parlour door. "Is that you, Caxon?—come in, come in, man." The old man opened the door, and thrusting in his meagre face, thatched with thin grey locks, and one sleeve of his white coat, said in a subdued and mysterious tone of voice, "I was wanting to speak to you, sir." "Come in then, you old fool, and say what you have got to say." "I'll maybe frighten the ladies," said the ex-friseur. "Frighten!" answered the Antiquary,—"what do you mean?—never mind the ladies. Have you seen another ghaist at the Humlock-knowe?" "Na, sir—it's no a ghaist this turn," replied Caxton;—"but I'm no easy in my mind." "Did you ever hear of any body that was?" answered Oldbuck;—"what reason has an old battered powder-puff like you to be easy in your mind, more than all the rest of the world besides?" "It's no for mysell, sir; but it threatens an awfu' night; and Sir Arthur, and Miss Wardour, poor thing"— "Why, man, they must have met the carriage at the head of the loaning, or thereabouts; they must be home long ago." "Na, sir; they didna gang the road by the turnpike to meet the carriage, they gaed by the sands." The word operated like electricity on Oldbuck. "The sands!" he exclaimed; "impossible!" "Ou, sir, that's what I said to the gardener; but he says he saw them turn down by the Mussel-craig. In troth, says I to him, an that be the case, Davie, I am misdoubting"— "An almanac! an almanac!" said Oldbuck, starting up in great alarm—"not that bauble!" flinging away a little pocket almanac which his niece offered him.—"Great God! my poor dear Miss Isabella!—Fetch me instantly the Fairport Almanac."—It was brought, consulted, and added greatly to his agitation. "I'll go myself—call the gardener and ploughman—bid them bring ropes and ladders—bid them raise more help as they come along—keep the top of the cliffs, and halloo down to them—I'll go myself." "What is the matter?" inquired Miss Oldbuck and Miss M'Intyre. "The tide!—the tide!" answered the alarmed Antiquary.