He hastened to say, in tolerable French, that her will should be a law
to them in every respect, and that she was at perfect liberty to wear
the mask till it was her pleasure to lay it aside. She understood him;
for she replied, by a very imperfect attempt, in the same language, to
express her gratitude for the permission, as she seemed to regard it, of
retaining her disguise.

The Doctor proceeded to other arrangements; and, for the satisfaction of
those readers who may love minute information, we record, that Luckie
Simson, the first in the race, carried as a prize the situation of
sick-nurse beside the delicate patient; that Peg Thomson was permitted
the privilege of recommending her good-daughter, Bet Jamieson, to be
wet-nurse; and an _oe_, or grandchild, of Luckie Jaup was hired to
assist in the increased drudgery of the family; the Doctor thus, like a
practised minister, dividing among his trusty adherents such good things
as fortune placed at his disposal.

About one in the morning the Doctor made his appearance at the Swan Inn,
and acquainted the stranger gentleman, that he wished him joy of being
the father of a healthy boy, and that the mother was, in the usual
phrase, as well as could be expected.

The stranger heard the news with seeming satisfaction, and then
exclaimed, "He must be christened, Doctor! he must be christened
instantly!"

"There can be no hurry for that," said the Doctor.

"_We_ think otherwise," said the stranger, cutting his argument short.