He rose , called over the stair to lay another plate , for Mr. Balfour would stay to dinner , and led me into a bedroom in the upper part of the house . Here he set before me water and soap , and a comb ; and laid out some clothes that belonged to his son ; and here , with another apposite tag , he left me to my toilet . CHAPTER XXVIII I GO IN QUEST OF MY INHERITANCE I made what change I could in my appearance ; and blithe was I to look in the glass and find the beggarman a thing of the past , and David Balfour come to life again . And yet I was ashamed of the change too , and , above all , of the borrowed clothes . When I had done , Mr. Rankeillor caught me on the stair , made me his compliments , and had me again into the cabinet . `` Sit ye down , Mr. David , '' said he , `` and now that you are looking a little more like yourself , let me see if I can find you any news . You will be wondering , no doubt , about your father and your uncle ? To be sure it is a singular tale ; and the explanation is one that I blush to have to offer you . For , '' says he , really with embarrassment , `` the matter hinges on a love affair . '' `` Truly , '' said I , `` I can not very well join that notion with my uncle . '' `` But your uncle , Mr. David , was not always old , '' replied the lawyer , `` and what may perhaps surprise you more , not always ugly . He had a fine , gallant air ; people stood in their doors to look after him , as he went by upon a mettle horse . I have seen it with these eyes , and I ingenuously confess , not altogether without envy ; for I was a plain lad myself and a plain man 's son ; and in those days it was a case of Odi te , qui bellus es , Sabelle . '' `` It sounds like a dream , '' said I. `` Ay , ay , '' said the lawyer , `` that is how it is with youth and age . Nor was that all , but he had a spirit of his own that seemed to promise great things in the future . In 1715 , what must he do but run away to join the rebels ? It was your father that pursued him , found him in a ditch , and brought him back multum gementem ; to the mirth of the whole country . However , majora canamus -- the two lads fell in love , and that with the same lady . Mr. Ebenezer , who was the admired and the beloved , and the spoiled one , made , no doubt , mighty certain of the victory ; and when he found he had deceived himself , screamed like a peacock . The whole country heard of it ; now he lay sick at home , with his silly family standing round the bed in tears ; now he rode from public-house to public-house , and shouted his sorrows into the lug of Tom , Dick , and Harry .
Your father , Mr. XXXXX , was a kind gentleman ; but he was weak , dolefully weak ; took all this folly with a long countenance ; and one day -- by your leave !
David Dick Harry Rankeillor Sabelle Tom ay gementem left public-house