Fiction > Book editions > New York, 1893 - David Balfour

2 DAVID BALFOUR
and deadly business I had still to handle ; the second,
the place that I was in. The tall, black city, and the
numbers and movement and noise of so many folk,
made a new world for me, after the moorland braes, the
sea-sands, and the still country-sides that I had fre-
quented up to then. The throng of the citizens in
particular abashed me. Rankeillor's son was short and
small in the girth ; his clothes scarce held on me ; and
it was plain I was ill qualified to strut in the front of a
bank-porter. It was plain, if I did so, I should but set
folk laughing, and (what was worse in my case) set
them asking questions. So that I behooved to come by
some clothes of my own, and in the meanwhile to walk
by the porters side, and put my hand on his arm as
though we were a pair of friends.
At a merchant's in the Luckenbooths, I had myself
fitted out : none too fine, for I had no idea to appear
like a beggar on horseback; but comely and responsi-
ble, so that servants should respect me. Thence to an
armourer's, where I got a plain sword, to suit with
my degree in life. I felt safer with the weapon, though
(for one so ignorant of defence) it might be called an
added danger. The porter, who was naturally a man of
some experience, judged my accoutrement to be well
chosen.
"ISlaething kenspeckle," * said he, "plain, dacent
claes. As for the rapier, nae doubt it sits wi' your
* Conspicuous.