I'll jist hae to tell ye a story sic
as an auld wife like me seldom tells till a young man like yersel'."
"Yer ain bridle sail rule my tongue, mem," said Malcolm.
"I s' lippen to yer discretion," said Miss Horn, and straightway
began.--"Some years ago--an' I s' warran' it's weel ower twinty
--that same wuman, Bawby Cat'nach,--wha was nae hame born wuman,
nor had been lang aboot the toon--comin' as she did frae naebody
kent whaur, 'cep maybe it was the markis 'at than was, preshumed to
mak up to me i' the w'y o' frien'ly acquantance--sic as a maiden
leddy micht hae wi' a howdy--an' no 'at she forgot her proaper
behaviour to ane like mysel'. But I cudna hae bidden (endured)
the jaud, 'cep 'at I had rizzons for lattin' her jaw wag. She was
cunnin', the auld vratch,--no that auld--maybe aboot forty,--
but I was ower mony for her. She had the design to win at something
she thoucht I kent, an' sae, to enteece me to open my pock, she
opent hers, an' tellt me story efter story about this neebour an'
that--a' o' them things 'at ouchtna to ha' been true, an 'at she
ouchtna to ha' loot pass her lips gien they war true, seein' she
cam by the knowledge o' them so as she said she did. But she gat
naething o' me--the fat braint cat!--an' she hates me like the
verra mischeef."
Miss Horn paused and took a sip of her negus.
"Ae day, I cam upon her sittin' by the ingleneuk i' my ain kitchen,
haudin' a close an' a laich confab wi' Jean. I had Jean than, an'
hoo I hae keepit the hizzy, I hardly ken.
Pages:
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241