steps which he made from the
door to the tea-table, she recognised, without the possibility of
mistake, the gait of a person who was well to pass in the world; "and
that," she added with a wink, "is what we victuallers are seldom
deceived in. If a gold-laced waistcoat has an empty pouch, the plain
swan's-down will be the brawer of the twa."

"A drizzling morning, good madam," said Mr. Touchwood, as with a view of
sounding what sort of company he had got into.

"A fine saft morning for the crap, sir," answered Mrs. Dods, with equal
solemnity.

"Right, my good madam; _soft_ is the very word, though it has been some
time since I heard it. I have cast a double hank about the round world
since I last heard of a soft[I-21] morning."

"You will be from these parts, then?" said the writer, ingeniously
putting a case, which, he hoped, would induce the stranger to explain
himself. "And yet, sir," he added, after a pause, "I was thinking that
Touchwood is not a Scottish name, at least that I ken of."

"Scottish name?--no," replied the traveller; "but a man may have been in
these parts before, without being a native--or, being a native, he may
have had some reason to change his name--there are many reasons why men
change their names."

"Certainly, and some of them very good ones," said the lawyer; "as in
the common case of an heir of entail, where deed of provision and
tailzie is maist ordinarily implemented by taking up name and arms."

"Ay, or in the case of a man having made the country too hot for him
under his own proper appellative," said Mr. Touchwood.

"That is a supposition, sir," replied the lawyer, "which it would ill
become me to put.--But at any rate, if you knew this country formerly,
ye cannot but be marvellously pleased with the change we have been
making since the American war--hill-sides bearing clover instead of
heather--rents doubled, trebled, quadrupled--the auld reekie dungeons
pulled down, and gentlemen living in as good houses as you will see any
where in England."

"Much good may it do them, for a pack of fools!" replied Mr. Touchwood,
hastily.

"You do not seem much delighted with our improvements, sir?" said the
banker, astonished to hear a dissentient voice where he conceived all
men were unanimous.

"Pleased!" answered the stranger--"Yes, as much pleased as I am with the
devil, who I believe set many of them agoing. Ye have got an idea that
every thing must be changed--Unstable as water,