She descended instantly to the base-court, and, passing from one guard to another, she whispered in their ears certain instructions, which, by the nodding of their heads, they seemed to understand, while those she had not time to visit received from their neighbours the communication at second-hand, and thus, in a short space of time, she prepared the whole retainers for the part they were destined to play. She had scarcely finished this part of her operations, and got out of the court, when the wine merchant made his appearance on the steps leading to the hall. He nodded pleasantly to the men, and, proceeding to his mules, took out of one of the panniers a large vessel filled with wine. This he laid on the flagstones of the base-court, and alongside of it he placed a large cup. He then called out to the retainers to approach, and seemed pleased with the readiness with which they complied with his request. "Mine very good fellows," said he, "I have sold your master, Innerkepple, one grand quantity of vine; and he says I am under one obligation to treat you vit a hamper, for the sake of the grand affection he bears to you. You may drink as much as ever you vill please; and ven this is brought to one termination, I will supply you vit more." "We're a' under a suitable obligation to ye, sir," replied the oldest of the retainers, a sly, pawky Scotchman--"and winna fail to do credit to the present ye've sae nobly presented to us; but do ye no hear Innerkepple callin' for ye frae the ha'? Awa, sir, to the guid baron, and leave us to our carouse." "Ay," said another; "we'll inform ye when this is finished." "Finished!" said a third; "we'll be a' on oor backs before we see the end o't." "Aha! excellent jolly troup!" cried the merchant, delighted with this company. The voice of Katherine, who appeared on the steps leading to the hall, now arrested their attention. "My father is impatient for thee, good merchant," said she. "_Ma chere_ leddy," replied he, "I will be there _a present_." And, looking up to see that she had again disappeared--"Drink, my jolly mates," he continued. "It is the grand matiere, the _bon_ stuff, the excellent good liqueur. Aha! you will be so merry, and you know you have the consent of Innerkepple." "We'll be a' as drunk as bats," said he who spoke first, with a sly leer. "The Deil tak him wha has the beddin' o' us!" said another. "So say I," added half-a-dozen of voices. "Then I am the Deil's property," said the warder, "unless I am saved by the power o' the wine; and, by my faith, I'll no spare't." "Aha! very good! excellent joke!" cried the delighted merchant. "Drink, and shame the Diable, as we say in France. Wine comes from the gods, and is the grand poison of Beelzebub."