ked
dismayed, and Mr. Lammie sheepish--all of them dazed and dumbfoundered,
except the old weaver, who, as his lordship turned to leave the room,
added:

'Lang lugs (ears) suld be made o' leather, my lord, for fear they grow
het wi' what they hear.'

Lord Rothie turned in a rage. He too had been drinking.

'Kick that toad into the street, or, by heaven! it's the last drop any
of you drink in this house!' he cried.

'The taed may tell the poddock (frog) what the rottan (rat) did i' the
taed's hole, my lord,' said MacGregor, whom independence, honesty, bile,
and drink combined to render fearless.

Lord Sandy left the room without another word. His factor took his hat
and followed him. The rest dropped into their seats in silence. Mr.
Lammie was the first to speak.

'There's a pliskie!' he said.

'I cud jist say the word efter auld Simeon,' said MacGregor.

'I never thocht to be sae favoured! Eh! but I hae langed, and noo I hae
spoken!' with which words he sat down, contented.

When Mr. Cocker overtook his master, as MacGregor had not unfitly styled
him, he only got a damning for his pains, and went home considerably
crestfallen.

Lord Rothie returned to the landlady in her parlour.

'What's the maitter wi' ye, my lord? What's vexed ye?' asked Miss
Napier, with a twinkle in her eyes, for she thought, from the baron's
mortification, he must have received some rebuff, and now that the
bonnie leddy was safe at Captain Forsyth's, enjoyed the idea of it.

'Ye keep an ill-tongued hoose, Miss Naper,' answered his lordship.

Miss Napier guessed at the truth at once--that he had overheard some
free remarks on his well-known licence of behaviour.

'Weel, my lord, I do my best. A body canna keep an inn and speir the
carritchis (catechism) at the door o' 't. But I believe ye're i' the
richt, my lord, for I heard an awfu' aff-gang o' sweirin' i' the yard,
jist afore yer lordship cam' in. An' noo' 'at I think o' 't, it wasna
that onlike yer lordship's ain word.'

Lord Sandy broke into a loud laugh. He could enjoy a joke against
himself when it came from a woman, and was founded on such a trifle as a
personal vice.

'I think I'll go to bed,' he said when his laugh was over. 'I believe
it's the only safe place from your tongue, Miss Naper.'

'Letty,' cried Miss Napier, 'fess a can'le, and show his lordship to the
reid room.'

Till Miss Letty appeared, the baron sat and stretched himself. He then
rose and followed h