Thinking thus, I went to bed in the centre of London town, and was bitten so grievously by creatures whose name is “legion,” mad with the delight of getting a wholesome farmer among them, that verily I was ashamed to walk in the courtly parts of the town next day, having lumps upon my face of the size of a pickling walnut.  The landlord said that this was nothing; and that he expected, in two days at the utmost, a very fresh young Irishman, for whom they would all forsake me.  Nevertheless, I declined to wait, unless he could find me a hayrick to sleep in; for the insects of grass only tickle.  He assured me that no hayrick could now be found in London; upon which I was forced to leave him, and with mutual esteem we parted.

The next night I had better luck, being introduced to a decent widow, of very high Scotch origin.  That house was swept and garnished so, that not a bit was left to eat, for either man or insect.  The change of air having made me hungry, I wanted something after supper; being quite ready to pay for it, and showing my purse as a symptom.  But the face of Widow MacAlister, when I proposed to have some more food, was a thing to be drawn (if it could be drawn further) by our new caricaturist.

Therefore I left her also; for liefer would I be eaten myself than have nothing to eat; and so I came back to my old furrier; the which was a thoroughly hearty man, and welcomed me to my room again, with two shillings added to the rent, in the joy of his heart at seeing me.  Being under parole to Master Stickles, I only went out betwixt certain hours; because I was accounted as liable to be called upon; for what purpose I knew not, but hoped it might be a good one.  I felt it a loss, and a hindrance to me, that I was so bound to remain at home during the session of the courts of law; for thereby the chance of ever beholding Lorna was very greatly contracted, if not altogether annihilated.  For these were the very hours in which the people of fashion, and the high world, were wont to appear to the rest of mankind, so as to encourage them.  And of course by this time, the Lady Lorna was high among people of fashion, and was not likely to be seen out of fashionable hours.  It is true that there were some places of expensive entertainment, at which the better sort of mankind might be seen and studied, in their hours of relaxation, by those of the lower order, who could pay sufficiently.  But alas, my money was getting low; and the privilege of seeing my betters was more and more denied to me, as my cash drew shorter.  For a man must have a good coat at least, and the pockets not wholly empty, before he can look at those whom God has created for his ensample.

Hence, and from many other causes—­part of which was my own pride—­it happened that I abode in London betwixt a month and five weeks’ time, ere ever I saw Lorna.  It seemed unfit that I should go, and waylay her, and spy on her, and say (or mean to say), “Lo, here is your poor faithful farmer, a man who is unworthy of you, by means of his common birth; and yet who dares to crawl across your path, that you may pity him.  For God’s sake show a little pity, though you may not feel it.”  Such behaviour might be comely in a love-lorn boy, a page to some grand princess; but I, John Ridd, would never stoop to the lowering of love so.