Part 63 (1/2)
”I div mean that same, my lord.”
”You can hold your tongue then?”
”I can, an' I wull my lord,” said Malcolm; but added in haste, ”-- 'cept it interfere wi' ony foregane agreement or nat'ral obligation.”
It must be borne in mind that Malcolm was in the habit of discussing all sorts of questions with Mr Graham: some of the formulae wrought out between them he had made himself thoroughly master of.
”By Jupiter!” exclaimed the marquis, with a pause of amus.e.m.e.nt.
”Well,” he went on, ”I suppose I must take you on your own terms.
--They've been asking me to put a stop to these conventicles.”
”Wha has, my lord?”
”That's my business.”
”Lat it be nae ither body's, my lord.”
”That's my intention. I told him I would go and myself.”
”Jist like yer lords.h.i.+p!”
”What do you mean by that?”
”I was aye sure ye was for fair play, my lord.”
”It's little enough I've ever had,” said the marquis.
”Sae lang's we gie plenty, my lord, it maitters less hoo muckle we get. A'body likes to get it.”
”That doctrine won't carry you far, my lad.”
”Far eneuch, gien 't cairry me throu', my lord.”
”How absolute the knave is!” said his lords.h.i.+p good humouredly. ”-- Well, but,” he resumed, ”--about these fishermen: I'm only afraid Mr Cairns was right.”
”What said he, my lord?”
”That, when they saw me there, they would fit their words to my ears.”
”I ken them better nor ony black coat atween Cromarty an' Peterheid; an' I can tell yer lords.h.i.+p there winna be ae word o' differ for your bein' there.”
”If only I could be there and not there both at once! There's no other sure mode of testing your a.s.sertion. What a pity the only thorough way should be an impossible one!”
”To a' practical purpose, it's easy eneuch, my lord. Jist gang ohn be seen the first nicht, an' the neist gang in a co'ch an' fower.
Syne compaur.”
”Quite satisfactory, no doubt, if I could bring myself to do it; but, though I said I would, I don't like to interfere so far even as to go at all.”
”At ony public meetin', my lord, ye hae as guid a richt to be present, as the puirest body i' the lan'. An' forbye that, as lord o' the place, ye hae a richt to ken what's gaein' on: I dinna ken hoo far the richt o' interferin' gangs; that's anither thing a'thegither.”