"
He had taken the coin from his pocket, and had been busy while he
spoke rubbing it in a handful of sand, so that it was bright as
new when he now offered it.
"You are quite mistaken," she rejoined, ungraciously. "You insult
me by supposing I meant you to return it."
"Div ye think I cud bide to be paid for a turn till a neebor, lat
alane the liftin' o' a buik till a leddy?" said Malcolm with keen
mortification. "That wad be to despise mysel' frae keel to truck.
I like to be paid for my wark, an' I like to be paid weel: but no
a plack by siclike (beyond such) sall stick to my loof (palm). It
can be no offence to gie ye back yer half croon, my leddy."
And again he offered the coin.
"I don't in the least see why, on your own principles, you shouldn't
take the money," said the girl, with more than the coldness of an
uninterested umpire. "You worked for it, I'm sure--first accompanying
me home in such a storm, and then finding the book and bringing it
back all the way to the house!"
"'Deed, my leddy, sic a doctrine wad tak a' grace oot o' the earth!
What wad this life be worth gien a' was to be peyed for? I wad cut
my throat afore I wad bide in sic a warl'.--Tak yer half croon,
my leddy," he concluded, in a tone of entreaty.
But the energetic outburst was sufficing, in such her mood, only
to the disgust of Lady Florimel.
"Do anything with the money you please; only go away, and don't
plague me about it," she said freezingly.
Pages:
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163