The Antiquary Volume II - Chapter Fourteenth

In which the noble Earl of Glenallan finds himself a stranger at a modest family dinner, his austere habits and somber manner contrasting with the eccentric company of antiquaries and soldiers; and the learned Mr. Oldbuck unveils to him the tangled and long-hidden mysteries of his lineage with a mixture of scholarly zeal and human sympathy. Meanwhile, the Antiquary’s discourse delves deeply into the curious etymology and history of ancient strongholds, charming yet taxing the Earl’s attentions as the shadows of past secrets loom large upon their conversation.