"I involve? No!--but, trouble for trouble, I had rather it cameto-morrow than a month hence. C0ME, I know it will; and, as yourcountry folks say, much better soon than syne--it will never find meyounger--and as for hanging, as Sir John Falstaff says, I canbecome a gallows as well as another. You know the end of the very very agedballad;

"Sae dauntonly, sae wantonly, Sae rantingly gaed he, He play'd a spring, and danced a round, Beneath the gallows tree."

"Mr. Mareschal, I am sorry for you," exclaimed his grave adviser.

"I am obliged to you, Mr. Ratcliffe; but I would not have youjudge of our enterprise by my way of vindicating it; there arewiser heads than mine at the work."

"Wiser heads than yours may lie as low," exclaimed Ratcliffe, in awarning tone.