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           No,sir!thankHeaven,wearenotyetinsuchastraitthatitcanbesaidMunroistoomuchpressedtodischargethelittledomesticdutiesofhisownfamily.Yourmotherwastheonlychildofmybosomfriend,Duncan;andI’lljustgiveyouahearing,thoughalltheknightsofSt.Louiswereinabodyatthesally-port,withtheFrenchsaintattheirhead,cravingtospeakawordunderfavor.Aprettydegreeofknighthood,sir,isthatwhichcanbeboughtwithsugar-hogsheads!andthenyourtwo-pennymarquisates!Thethistleistheorderfordignityandantiquity;theveritablenemomeimpunelacessitofchivalry!Yehadancestorsinthatdegree,Duncan,andtheywereanornamenttothenoblesofScotland."

           Heyward,whoperceivedthathissuperiortookamaliciouspleasureinexhibitinghiscontemptforthemessageoftheFrenchgeneral,wasfaintohumoraspleenthatheknewwouldbeshort-lived;hethereforerepliedwithasmuchindifferenceashecouldassumeonsuchasubject—

           "Myrequest,asyouknow,sir,wentsofarastopresumetothehonorofbeingyourson."

           "Ay,boy,youfoundwordstomakeyourselfveryplainlycomprehended.But,letmeaskye,sir,haveyoubeenasintelligibletothegirl?"

           "Onmyhonor,no,"exclaimedDuncan,warmly;"therewouldhavebeenanabuseofaconfidedtrust,hadItakenadvantageofmysituationforsuchapurpose."

           "Yournotionsarethoseofagentleman,MajorHeyward,andwellenoughintheirplace.