But there was a glimmer of pleasure in his
eyes, notwithstanding; and I fancied I could see that the pleasure would
have been more marked, had he not feared that he had placed himself at a
disadvantage with her, namely, that she would suppose him incapable of
producing a story. However, it was only for a moment that this change of
feeling stopped him. With a gesture of some haste he re-opened the
manuscript, which he had rolled up as if to protect it from the
indignation of his brother, and read the following ballad:
_"The Two Gordons._
I
"There was John Gordon, and Archibold,
And an earl's twin sons were they.
When they were one and twenty years old,
They fell out on their birth-day.
"'Turn,' said Archibold, 'brother sly!
Turn now, false and fell;
Or down thou goest, as black as a lie,
To the father of lies in hell.'
"'Why this to me, brother Archie, I pray?
What ill have I done to thee?'
'Smooth-faced hound, thou shall rue the day
Thou gettest an answer of me.
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