ffence. At length Mac-Morlan resolved
to consult Miss Bertram, and request her interference. She assured him
that, though she could not pretend to superintend a gentleman's wardrobe,
nothing was more easy than to arrange the Dominie's.

'At Ellangowan,' she said, 'whenever my poor father thought any part of
the Dominie's dress wanted renewal, a servant was directed to enter his
room by night, for he sleeps as fast as a dormouse, carry off the old
vestment, and leave the new one; nor could any one observe that the
Dominie exhibited the least consciousness of the change put upon him on
such occasions.'

Mac-Morlan, in conformity with Miss Bertram's advice, procured a skilful
artist, who, on looking at the Dominie attentively, undertook to make for
him two suits of clothes, one black and one raven-grey, and even engaged
that they should fit him--as well at least (so the tailor qualified his
enterprise) as a man of such an out-of-the-way build could be fitted by
merely human needles and shears. When this fashioner had accomplished his
task, and the dresses were brought home, Mac-Morlan, judiciously
resolving to accomplish his purpose by degrees, withdrew that evening an
important part of his dress, and substituted the new article of raiment
in its stead. Perceiving that this passed totally without notice, he next
ventured on the waistcoat, and lastly on the coat. When fully
metamorphosed, and arrayed for the first time in his life in a decent
dress, they did observe that the Dominie seemed to have some indistinct
and embarrassing consciousness that a change had taken place on his
outward man. Whenever they observed this dubious expression gather upon
his countenance, accompanied with a glance that fixed now upon the sleeve
of his coat, now upon the knees of his breeches, where he probably missed
some antique patching and darning, which, being executed with blue thread
upon a black ground, had somewhat the effect of embroidery, they always
took care to turn his attention into some other channel, until his
garments, 'by the aid of use, cleaved to their mould.' The only remark he
was ever known to make on the subject was, that 'the air of a town like
Kippletringan seemed favourable unto wearing apparel, for he thought his
coat looked almost as new as the first day he put it on, which was when
he went to stand trial for his license as a preacher.'

When the Dominie first heard the liberal proposal of Colonel Mannering,
he tur