to be more bold? Besides, the truth is, I could see no other feasible
method to dispose of her. And I daresay inclination pulled me very
strong.

A little beyond the Hague she fell very lame and made the rest of the
distance heavily enough. Twice she must rest by the wayside, which she
did with pretty apologies, calling herself a shame to the Highlands and
the race she came of, and nothing but a hindrance to myself. It was her
excuse, she said, that she was not much used with walking shod. I would
have had her strip off her shoes and stockings and go barefoot. But she
pointed out to me that the women of that country, even in the landward
roads, appeared to be all shod.

"I must not be disgracing my brother," said she, and was very merry with
it all, although her face told tales of her.

There is a garden in that city we were bound to, sanded below with clean
sand, the trees meeting overhead, some of them trimmed, some pleached,
and the whole place beautified with alleys and arbours. Here I left
Catriona, and went forward by myself to find my correspondent. There I
drew on my credit, and asked to be recommended to some decent, retired
lodging. My baggage not being yet arrived, I told him I supposed I
should require his caution with the people of the house; and explained
that, my sister being come for a while to keep house with me, I should
be wanting two chambers. This was all very well; but the trouble was
that Mr. Balfour in his letter of recommendation had condescended on a
great deal of particulars, and never a word of any sister in the case. I
could see my Dutchman was extremely suspicious; and viewing me over the
rims of a great pair of spectacles--he was a poor, frail body, and
reminded me of an infirm rabbit--he began to question me close.

Here I fell in a panic. Suppose he accept my tale (thinks I), suppose he
invite my sister to his house, and that I bring her. I shall have a fine
ravelled pirn to unwind, and may end by disgracing both the lassie and
myself. Thereupon I began hastily to expound to him my sister's
character. She was of a bashful disposition, it appeared, and so
extremely fearful of meeting strangers that I had left her at that
moment sitting in a public place alone. And then, being launched upon
the stream of falsehood, I must do like all the rest of the world in the
same circumstance, and plunge in deeper than was any service; adding
some altogether needless particulars of Miss Balfour's il