en," said I.

"If it is your pleasure," said Catriona. These were early days.

He was lodged in the same quarter of the city with his chief, in a great
house upon a corner; and we were guided up to the garret where he lay by
the sound of Highland piping. It seemed he had just borrowed a set of
them from Bohaldie to amuse his sickness; though he was no such hand as
was his brother Rob, he made good music of the kind; and it was strange
to observe the French folk crowding on the stairs, and some of them
laughing. He lay propped in a pallet. The first look of him I saw he was
upon his last business; and, doubtless, this was a strange place for him
to die in. But even now I find I can scarce dwell upon his end with
patience. Doubtless, Bohaldie had prepared him; he seemed to know we
were married, complimented us on the event, and gave us a benediction
like a patriarch.

"I have been never understood," said he. "I forgive you both without an
after-thought;" after which he spoke for all the world in his old
manner, was so obliging as to play us a tune or two upon his pipes, and
borrowed a small sum before I left. I could not trace even a hint of
shame in any part of his behaviour; but he was great upon forgiveness;
it seemed always fresh to him. I think he forgave me every time we met;
and when after some four days he passed away in a kind of odour of
affectionate sanctity, I could have torn my hair out for exasperation. I
had him buried; but what to put upon his tomb was quite beyond me, till
at last I considered the date would look best alone.

I thought it wiser to resign all thoughts of Leyden, where we had
appeared once as brother and sister, and it would certainly look strange
to return in a new character. Scotland would be doing for us; and
thither, after I had recovered that which I had left behind, we sailed
in a Low Country ship.

And now, Miss Barbara Balfour (to set the ladies first) and Mr. Alan
Balfour, younger of Shaws, here is the story brought fairly to an end. A
great many of the folk that took a part in it, you will find (if you
think well) that you have seen and spoken with. Alison Hastie in
Limekilns was the lass that rocked your cradle when you were too small
to know of it, and walked abroad with you in the policy when you were
bigger. That very fine great lady that is Miss Barbara's name-mamma is
no other than the same Miss Grant that made so much a fool of David
Balfour in the house of the Lord Ad