-'

'Pray read short, sir.'

'On the conscience of an honest man, Colonel, I read as short as is
consistent with style--under the burden and reservation always--'

'Mr. Macwheeble, this would outlast a Russian winter; give me leave. In
short, Mr. Bradwardine, your family estate is your own once more in full
property, and at your absolute disposal, but only burdened with the sum
advanced to re-purchase it, which I understand is utterly disproportioned
to its value.'

'An auld sang--an auld sang, if it please your honours,' cried the
Bailie, rubbing his hands; 'look at the rental book.'

'--Which sum being advanced, by Mr. Edward Waverley, chiefly from the
price of his father's property which I bought from him, is secured to his
lady your daughter and her family by this marriage.'

'It is a catholic security,' shouted the Bailie,' to Rose Comyne
Bradwardine, alias Wauverley, in life-rent, and the children of the said
marriage in fee; and I made up a wee bit minute of an antenuptial
contract, intuitu matrimonij, so it cannot be subject to reduction
hereafter, as a donation inter virum et uxorem.'

It is difficult to say whether the worthy Baron was most delighted with
the restitution of his family property or with the delicacy and
generosity that left him unfettered to pursue his purpose in disposing of
it after his death, and which avoided as much as possible even the
appearance of laying him under pecuniary obligation. When his first pause
of joy and astonishment was over, his thoughts turned to the unworthy
heir-male, who, he pronounced, had sold his birthright, like Esau, for a
mess o' pottage.

'But wha cookit the parritch for him?' exclaimed the Bailie; 'I wad like
to ken that;--wha but your honour's to command, Duncan Macwheeble? His
honour, young Mr. Wauverley, put it a' into my hand frae the
beginning--frae the first calling o' the summons, as I may say. I
circumvented them--I played at bogle about the bush wi' them--I cajolled
them; and if I havena gien Inch-Grabbit and Jamie Howie a bonnie begunk,
they ken themselves. Him a writer! I didna gae slapdash to them wi' our
young bra' bridegroom, to gar them baud up the market. Na, na; I scared
them wi' our wild tenantry, and the Mac-Ivors, that are but ill settled
yet, till they durstna on ony errand whatsoever gang ower the doorstane
after gloaming, for fear John Heatherblutter, or some siccan
dare-the-deil, should tak a baff at them; then, on the other han