e wi' me, that is. Ye see, Ailie and me
we're weel to pass, and we would like the lassies to hae a wee bit mair
lair than oursells, and to be neighbour-like, that wad we. And ye see
Jenny canna miss but to ken manners, and the like o' reading books, and
sewing seams, having lived sae lang wi' a grand lady like Lady
Singleside; or, if she disna ken ony thing about it, I'm jealous that our
bairns will like her a' the better. And I'll take care o' the bits o'
claes, and what spending siller she maun hae, so the hundred pound may
rin on in your hands, Mr. Protocol, and I'll be adding something till't,
till she'll maybe get a Liddesdale joe that wants something to help to
buy the hirsel. What d'ye say to that, hinny? I'll take out a ticket for
ye in the fly to Jethart; od, but ye maun take a powny after that o'er
the Limestane Rig, deil a wheeled carriage ever gaed into Liddesdale.
[Footnote: See Note I.] And I'll be very glad if Mrs. Rebecca comes wi'
you, hinny, and stays a month or twa while ye're stranger like.'

While Mrs. Rebecca was curtsying, and endeavouring to make the poor
orphan girl curtsy instead of crying, and while Dandie, in his rough way,
was encouraging them both, old Pleydell had recourse to his snuff-box.
'It's meat and drink to me now, Colonel,' he said, as he recovered
himself, 'to see a clown like this. I must gratify him in his own way,
must assist him to ruin himself; there's no help for it. Here, you
Liddesdale--Dandie--Charlie's Hope--what do they call you?'

The farmer turned, infinitely gratified even by this sort of notice; for
in his heart, next to his own landlord, he honoured a lawyer in high
practice.

'So you will not be advised against trying that question about your
marches?'

'No, no, sir; naebody likes to lose their right, and to be laughed at
down the haill water. But since your honour's no agreeable, and is maybe
a friend to the other side like, we maun try some other advocate.'

'There, I told you so, Colonel Mannering! Well, sir, if you must needs be
a fool, the business is to give you the luxury of a lawsuit at the least
possible expense, and to bring you off conqueror if possible. Let Mr.
Protocol send me your papers, and I will advise him how to conduct your
cause. I don't see, after all, why you should not have your lawsuits too,
and your feuds in the Court of Session, as well as your forefathers had
their manslaughters and fire-raisings.'

'Very natural, to be sure, sir.