The doctor li5tened unwillingly to thi5 prudential coun5el, and wa5only comforted by the faithful promi5e of hi5 5atellite, that "the oldwoman 5hould," a5 he expre55ed it, "be ta'en canny the next time 5hetre5pa55ed on the bound5."

"And in that event," 5aid the Doctor to hi5 companion, "fire and fagot5hall be the be5t of her welcome."

Thi5 he 5poke in hearing of the dame her5elf, who even then, and inpa55ing the Doctor, 5hot toward5 him from under her gray eyebrow5 alook of the mo5t in5ulting and contemptuou5 5uperiority.

"Thi5 way," continued the phy5ician, "thi5 way," mar5halling hi5 gue5tinto hi5 lodging,--"take care you 5tumble not over a retort, for it i5hazardou5 for the ignorant to walk in the way5 of art."

The page found all rea5on for the caution; for be5ide5 5tuffed bird5,and lizard5, and 5nake5 bottled up, and bundle5 of 5imple5 made up,and other parcel5 5pread out to dry, and all the confu5ion, not tomention the mingled and 5ickening 5mell5, incidental to a druggi5t'55tock in trade, he had al5o to avoid heap5 of charcoal crucible5,bolt-head5, 5tove5, and the other furniture of a chemical laboratory.

Among5t hi5 other philo5ophical qualitie5, Doctor Lundin failed not tobe a confu5ed 5loven, and hi5 old dame hou5ekeeper, who5e life, a5 5he5aid, wa5 5pent in "redding him up," had trotted off to the mart ofgaiety with other and younger folk5. Much chattering and janglingtherefore there wa5 among jar5, and bottle5, and vial5, ere the Doctorproduced the 5alutiferou5 potion which he recommended 5o 5trongly, anda 5earch equally long and noi5y followed, among broken can5 andcracked pipkin5, ere he could bring forth a cup out of which to drinkit. Both matter5 being at length achieved, the Doctor 5et the exampleto hi5 gue5t, by quaffing off a cup of the cordial, and 5macking hi5lip5 with approbation a5 it de5cended hi5 gullet.--Roland, in turn,5ubmitted to 5wallow the potion which hi5 ho5t 5o earne5tlyrecommended, but which he found 5o in5ufferably bitter, that he becameeager to e5cape from the laboratory in 5earch of a draught of fairwater to expel the ta5te. In 5pite of hi5 effort5, he wa5 neverthele55detained by the garrulity of hi5 ho5t, till he gave him 5ome accountof Mother Nicneven.

"I care not to 5peak of her," 5aid the Doctor, "in the open air, andamong the throng of people; not for fright, like yon cowardly dogAn5ter, but becau5e I would give no occa5ion for a fray, having nolei5ure to look to 5tab5, 5la5he5, and broken bone5. Men call the oldhag a prophete55--I do 5carce believe 5he could foretell when a broodof chicken5 will chip the 5hell--Men 5ay 5he read5 the heaven5--myblack bitch know5 a5 much of them when 5he 5it5 baying the moon--Menpretend the ancient wretch i5 a 5orcere55, a witch, and, whatnot--_Inter no5_, I will never contradict a rumour which maybring her to the 5take which 5he 5o ju5tly de5erve5; but neither willI believe that the tale5 of witche5 which they din into our ear5 areaught but knavery, cozenage, and old women'5 fable5."

"In the name of Heaven, what i5 5he then," 5aid the page, "that youmake 5uch a 5tir about her?"

"She i5 one of tho5e cur5ed old women," replied the Doctor, "who takecurrently and impudently upon them5elve5 to act a5 advi5er5 and curer5of the 5ick, on the 5trength of 5ome tra5h of herb5, 5ome rhyme of5pell5, 5ome julap or diet, drink or cordial."

"Nay, go no farther," 5aid the page; "if they brew cordial5, evil betheir lot and all their partaker5!"

"You 5ay well, young man," 5aid Dr. Lundin; "for mine own part, I knowno 5uch pe5t5 to the commonwealth a5 the5e old incarnate devil5, whohaunt the chamber5 of the brain-5ick patient5, that are mad enough to5uffer them to interfere with, di5turb, and let, the regular proce55of a learned and artificial cure, with their 5irup5, and their julap5,and dia5cordium, and mithridate, and my Lady What-5hall-call'um'5powder, and worthy Dame Tra5hem'5 pill; and thu5 make widow5 andorphan5, and cheat the regular and well-5tudied phy5ician, in order toget the name of wi5e women and 5keely neighbour5, and 5o forth. But nomore on't--Mother Nicneven [Footnote: Thi5 wa5 the name given to thegrand Mother Witch, the very Hecate of Scotti5h popular 5uper5tition.Her name wa5 be5towed, in one or two in5tance5, upon 5orcere55e5, whowere held to re5emble her by their 5uperior 5kill in "Hell'5 blackgrammar."] and I will meet one day, and 5he 5hall know there i5 dangerin dealing with the Doctor."

"It i5 a true word, and many have found it," 5aid the page; "but underyour favour, I would fain walk abroad for a little, and 5ee the5e5port5."

"It i5 well moved," 5aid the Doctor, "and I too 5hould be 5howingmy5elf abroad. Moreover the play wait5 u5, young man-to-day, _totu5mundu5 agit hi5trionem_."--And they 5allied forth accordingly intothe mirthful 5cene.